


Possibilities to Realities

by felicia_angel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blowjobs, Cuddles, Dean/Cas Tropefest 2017, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Topping from the Bottom, Virgin!Castiel, holidayfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-27 06:31:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12075441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felicia_angel/pseuds/felicia_angel
Summary: There’s a new person at the Grandhotel Pupp – a man who has no qualms about money, has arrived with the mysterious Bela Talbot, and who seems happy to do whatever makes him happy. Castiel Renald, guest of Lady Toni Bevell, finds himself drawn to the mysterious man, wanting to know more, and discovering what it’s like to take a risk.





	1. Mysteries and Welcomes

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my wonderful artist, [Peanutbutterthanjelly](http://peanutbutterthenjelly.tumblr.com/) and her wonderful artwork. You can check out all the artwork for the story [here](http://peanutbutterthenjelly.tumblr.com/post/165269431647/for-deancas-tropefest-2017-possibilities-to).

Part 1: Mysteries and Welcomes

There was a great deal of people heading into the Grand Hotel Pupp, all of them having their bags carried in by the various bellhops as they headed through the front doors to the main lobby. Castiel Renald smiles as he hands over his baggage to the bellhop, frowning when they hear the sound of a helicopter and looks up, seeing the hotel’s private copter coming to land on the area he knows is up on the roof. Nearby, he spots one of the regulars winter vacationers he often speaks to, Meg Masters, come over with skis over her shoulder, her deep purple ski vest, black sweater and dark ski pants making her pale skin appear far paler than usual, and she looks up at the roof before glancing over at the bellhop. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure, Miss Masters,” the bellhop informs them, “I only know that the last time a helicopter landed here, it was Elton John, SIR Elton John.”

Both of them raise their eyebrows at that, Meg chuckling before saying, “What about you, Clarence? Not up for landing on the roof?”

“I enjoy the front entrance like everyone else, Meg,” he tells her sincerely, “and so must bid you adieu, until dinner I suppose.”

Meg makes a face but nods. “Yes, let’s see what the Ramsay-clone gives us tonight, and what our Lady of Perpetual Annoyance wants.”

Castiel shakes his head as Meg walks off, heading towards the ski area, while he walks into the main room. Lady Antonia Bevell has requested him there to speak to about some commercial enterprise in Britain, and his brothers – Balthazar especially – had decided to send Castiel to do any and all negotiations. Most of it was because they knew Meg was going, and both of them were well-known for making the lives of investors miserable, but also because Rowena and Crowley would be there. Rowena MacLeod was a hard woman to deal with – her money came from her seeming ability to find the richest husband who was also willing to sign various agreements were all their money went to her on event of their death – and all of them lived lives where that sort of thing was common. Crowley, who had made his money through being able to make anyone a deal, even if he couldn’t back it up when he _made_ said deal, was probably related to her and Castiel didn’t need to think too heavily on that. The group of five could do whatever they wanted, but Lady Bevell did want them to join her for certain activities, and speak together in her room or their own, should the need arise to hash out the plan and do any sort of signatures.

So he’s a bit surprised when, as he gets the bellhop to drop off his things for another to pick up, checking in with the front desk to his usual suite (he refuses to have the company get him a suite that he might have to share with Balthazar, who knew what his brother did while here?) when he hears two voices coming from next to him, the two apparently having gotten here from the roof.

“Well, we didn’t expect to take a helicopter, but time is precious to us,” the man said, smiling at the receptionist…and the receptionist was starting to get all red in the face as he continues, “Our reservations? Should be under the Talbots?”

Castiel thinks he’s heard of that name before, but cannot remember where. He glances over, seeing the man who spoke and blinking at his appearance. He’s tall, with dark blonde hair cut short and semi-tanned skin that shows signs of freckles. He’s not dressed to impress – his jacket is obviously older and used, and his Levi’s are a bit ripped to one side, but he makes it appear less like a person coming up after winning a trip and more like a person comfortable in any style. Castiel also notices his polished office shoes that most business men wear, and is so distracted by the man and his handsome look that he nearly misses his own receptionist’s actions as she gives him his hotel key and asks if he needs anything else.

“No, thank you,” Castiel tells her before turning to follow the bellhop just as he hears the receptionist helping the two say, “The only room available is an upgrade, for close to 3000€ a night more…that’s almost 4000$ more than what you have.” There was a short beat of silence before the woman, dressed in a fancy set of winter clothing, answers, “The silence without blinking at the cost means we’ll take it, thank you dear.”

Now the receptionist _is_ blushing, to the point that Castiel is fairly sure both of the new guests are gorgeous and offering the woman smiles that only serve to nearly disarm the poor front desk receptionist. He supposes that both of them, having gotten into so much money, are probably rich and newly married, and what use does he have for that? He might have been interested in the man, if he’d gotten a better look at him, but he’s not here to look for love. He’s here to speak to Lady Bevell and see what her wishes are, and make a choice based on her views of how that will help their company. Then again, Castiel is not all that social to begin with, and he’s never known of a hotel that has a great deal of socialization outside of the groups you can with. If anything, the two will be out of his thoughts, if not for the few odd factors that he recalls – the fact that they believe their time is precious, and thus came on a helicopter, and that money is no issue for them.

_ Another two that I’m sure Rowena will find and snatch up. I hope they have some foresight to hide their money away. _

His room is not the presidential suite, but it’s one designed for business – an office space with reliable wifi and, if needed, lan-line, a phone to use in case he needs it, and multiple televisions in multiple areas. The bed is large, and his request for no mints or anything silly like that has been at least followed. He tips the bellhop generously – there’s no point in not doing so, they are paid to be friendly and pick up items for everyone, and the service job is always a thankless one in his opinion – and puts his clothing down near the large armoire before calling up Balthazar to tell him that he’s arrived.

“ _Always good to hear it. How was the trip? Snowy as per tradition?_ ”

“Yes, though there was some commotion. Apparently someone decided to take the helicopter up. The bellhop believes them to be important.”

“ _Yes, and we all know they’re so right all the time._ ” Balthazar’s sarcasm was strong this day. “ _I’m sure it wasn’t someone that important. The helicopter isn’t always used to take people up, because the weather that high up. It’s more during festivals or in the summertime. Winter means snow, which means bad flying conditions. I wouldn’t put it past the pilot to use someone wanting to come up as an excuse to get some hours and training in._ ” Castiel could see Balthazar’s point, and instead he turned to the reason for his being here.

“Lady Toni seems to like the idea of the Grandhotel more than the Hotel itself. Why we came here and not some spa in Britain, I don’t understand. Especially when the pricing for her would be cheaper, and from what I heard, her Lord Husband is out for the time being.”

“ _She enjoys showing off the money she has for the ventures she’s going into, and despite a good half of your group being of the British Isles, I seriously doubt they want to vacation there._ ” Castiel sometimes forgets that his brother spent his formative years in Europe, enough to consider it more a home than the Americas. “ _Trust me, for the wealthy in Europe, going to another country is like you Americans traveling to another coast or whatever. Which I know you don’t do because they don’t have hives or whatever._ ”

Castiel rolls his eyes and says, “I like the rural parts of the country and learning what our company can do for them, as well as ensure that their economies don’t collapse upon themselves in the changing market. It’s why I also don’t spend as much on rooms as you do – I have my needs and this cheaper room agrees with them.” It also allows him extra cash for other adventures or for shopping in the less tourist-trap parts of the townships nearby, if Lady Bevell’s schedule would allow for it.

“ _Yes, well, I enjoy places where I can order in shrimp and a hooker,_ ” Balthazar says before adding in, “ _What do you think this is about? Besides the fact that she wants to fund that little alma mater of hers?_ ”

“It’s probably just that,” he says, then asks Balthazar, “Why aren’t you here?”

“ _Because I don’t like her, and she knows it, and I can’t stand Crowley, and I would probably throttle Masters, so I think she just thought she was getting the ‘easier’ one of us. She doesn’t know how evil you are at everything._ ”

“So you say. I must go.”

Balthazar wishes him luck before hanging up, allowing Castiel to go back to putting his clothing for the long-term stay before laying out a choice for the dinner – a regular suit with a blue tie, and shined shoes – before pulling out his laptop and seeing what he can find about the Bevells and what they might want from him.

=

“Damn, this is great, Bel,” Dean Talbot said, pushing on the bedding and smiling. “Memory foam, nice!” he glances back over to Samandiriel – Alfie, as he’s been nicknamed after hearing that Mr. Talbot ‘already knew a Sammy’ before the man stands up, pulling out a wallet and looking over the euros in some confusion. Bela Talbot, his…something (wife? lover? They aren’t related, not the way they’re acting, and if they are, they’re being very open about that) looks almost happy at Mr. Talbot’s glee over the room and everything, watching as he pulls out a rather ridiculous amount of euros before handing them to Samandiriel. “Here, that a good tip?”

Samandiriel’s eyes are a bit wide, trying to figure out if he should say something about how much – normally even dealing with other rich, don’t understand cash money people, this is…is…

Bela Talbot saves him by coming up, pulling out about three bills, and…that’s still unreasonably high for taking their bags and showing them around the room. But he says nothing as Dean looks over at her before asking, “I give him an unreasonably high tip?”

“Well, it’s more unreasonably high now,” Bela tells him with a smile before looking back over at Samandiriel and patting his shoulder. “Thank you, Alfie. I’m sure you have others to check in now.”

He nods, a bit surprised before pocketing the tip and heading out, hearing Dean say, “I like that one, let’s keep him.”

“Dean…are you going to tell me about what Masters missed?”

“We had a meeting and her secretary called to say she had some ‘conflict’,” Dean sounded annoyed, “so now I know what that ‘conflict’ is.”

“You don’t sound angry, though.”

Samandiriel headed back downstairs, wondering as he recalls that Bela Talbot had also spoken to Mr. Crowley about something, mentioning a bad quarter coming up for Lady Bevell and her husband. How would they know that? Not to mention that in order to have any sort of knowledge about Lady Bevell, they’d have no knowledge of Miss Master’s work, despite the two being here at the same time for what appeared to be a business conference set up by Lady Bevell. What did he work in that he’d even have access to that type of knowledge? What did Miss Talbot work in? Did they work?

Samandiriel puts the thoughts out of his mind as he goes back to work, focusing once more on his other guests, but with each new guest, the questions only grow – he can tell who each guest is, he knows who each of them are and how they’ll interact with him, but the Talbots are simply a mystery.

=

Crowley and Rowena are already in the restaurant, Rowena over at the bar as Fergus Crowley goes over to speak to Castiel the moment he sees him. “Castiel Renald, how did Lady Toni get you into this place?”

“She approached my family, and it was decided I should come to see what it is she wants to do, and what she wants from us. I didn’t think she’d manage to get you to come in to make deals.”

Crowley chuckles and waves his hand at the interest. “You know me, angel, I go where the deals may be, and Lady Toni is even offering me an interesting deal, even if she’s cagey about it.” He pauses, pursing his lips and getting Castiel to tilt his head, curious.

“What?”

“Oh, something that the male Talbot said when he passed me by,” Crowley said, “Lady Toni was talking with that professional brownnoser, Mr. Ketch, and said something to me that I didn’t agree with. Then Mr. Talbot, whoever he is, came up and said something he shouldn’t know about.” Crowley looks a bit pensive and curious as he considers, Castiel looking curiously at him before he adds, “Oh, and Miss Talbot apparently was supposed to meet with either Masters or MacLeod, something big, and now I wonder what that could be.”

“…Miss and Mister Talbot? I thought they were married.”

Crowley gives him a smile before he says, “Oh, are they? Rowena doesn’t even know, or she won’t tell me, and I haven’t seen Masters yet. She must be working to make herself pretty so she can be admired by everyone.” Crowley stops and smiles, obviously putting on his game face as he holds out his hand, welcoming Lady Antonia Bevell with his normal, subdued greeting as Rowena, breaking away from an older and obviously rich gentleman she’d been chatting with to greet her as well, then Lady Toni coming up to shake Castiel’s hand. “Mr. Renald, I’m so glad that your family took my invitation seriously enough to send you. I assure you, this will be worth your time.”

“Lady Bevell, I’m glad to have been invited, and I hope you understand that I must consider an actual proposal before I can give you any positive or negative response.” He saw her jaw twitch, but her smile remained, showing that she understood Castiel’s reasons before she nodded, motioning to Ketch as they all headed to her normal reserved table, allowing them access to see whoever comes in and out, as well as giving them a direct line for when the chef, the renowned Amara Nickerson, or her just as renowned dessert and pastry chef Gabriel Locke, came out when Lady Toni flexed her financial muscle and got him to come over and probably try to be social with them all. Castiel isn’t surprised by it, and takes a seat to where he can watch the dining room instead of really talk to the others, with Lady Toni at the ‘front’ of the round table, with the others sitting around and chatting amicably as they waited for Meg Masters to arrive. Castiel watches the various groups and others arrive slowly, but what gets Castiel to draw in a breath, curious as he sees the Talbots enter.

He was right – if the two smiled while simply dressed in lesser clothing and being nice, that might be bad enough, but now? The female Talbot was in a black dress with the back dipping low and the dark pashmina covering her front, but leaving enough to see the diamond necklace that sparkled under it. The male Talbot, though, was dressed in a suit, the shirt’s black buttons standing out as much as the small square handkerchief in his jacket, but despite all of that, he looked almost uncomfortable, even with the woman on his arm. Castiel had to admit, though, he was handsome in the fitted suit and with the gold and diamond cufflinks that complimented his partner’s low gown and diamond necklace, and he was too enamored by that to see Meg’s own entrance and arrival to the table, not until she sat next to him, glancing at the two and then back to Castiel as he watched them sit.

“Earth to Clarence,” she mutters, getting Castiel to blink a bit as he sees a waiter spill some wine onto Lady Toni’s hand, knowing the fate of that one would be a swift firing for such a faux pas. He glances back at her as she looks over to the two, then back at him. “I see the new guests have caught your eye. I heard from that talkative bellhop that they’re the ones who came on the helicopter.”

Rowena raised an eye at that, taking up her glass empty of wine because of the bad way that the waiter had handled it, or at least the bad way that Lady Toni had, since she’d muttered, “Water, flat, no ice, serve the table,” after the incident. “I’ve heard of few who’d brave the helicopter when it’s getting snowy,” Rowena said before glancing back at them, “and it’s quite the expense to take, if you want to remain anonymous.”

“Are you sure they’re anonymous?” Crowley asks as a new waiter comes to check on them, Rowena tapping her empty glass and getting Lady Toni to glare at her. “I heard you or Masters lost a meeting with them from last week.”

Masters raised her eyebrows as Rowena looks confused, the two looking at the two then back to Crowley as he takes up a glass of water. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to figure that out, then.”

“I do believe we’re here for my proposal, not to figure out the identity of our fellow guests,” Lady Toni says in a huff, motioning to speak to Ketch again before they went to studying the menu, listening to the specials. Castiel isn’t interested in them – he knows that Amara is a wonderful cook and he knows that anything she or Gabriel makes will come out looking divine and tasting the same, but right now he simply wants to get something to eat, listen to Lady Bevell’s proposal and plan to woo them to her side, and rest for the night. Maybe, if he can, he’ll even think about what he’d do with the tuxedo-clad man, if he wasn’t obviously married to the woman at his side, if his actions so far with her said.

He glances over his menu to see that Crowley is as upset over the fact that his belief that the woman was a Miss instead of a Misses, but Castiel thinks it has to do with both of them being such a couple that obviously was planned to be the perfect pair. He sees her whisper something to the man, who fidgets in his seat and mutters something back before she seems to giggle happily.

Castiel orders something light, not wanting to upset his stomach – he knows that after a long flight, he shouldn’t eat heavily, and vaguely hears an astonished waiter nearby before their own orders are put in. Crowley looks over at him after and holds up his scotch. “Only a salad today? Chefs will be upset.”

“I would rather upset them than keep myself up and miss breakfast, or have to call the in-house doctor for an upset stomach,” Castiel tells him, knowing Crowley knows this and simply wishes to give Castiel a hard time. He also knows that despite Lady Toni’s pull, Amara and Gabriel will be upset with the changes made for some of the items, most by Crowley and Toni herself, but a few by Meg and Rowena for their own reasons. He suspects that Rowena asked for a small change simply because she grew up on rich fair, and knows her own way around a kitchen, while Meg does it to test her pallet, or to test the chefs. Amara and Gabriel are a wonderful team, and one that the Grandhotel Pupp managed to get through sheer luck. However, that didn’t stop the fact that they enjoyed having their food served without substitutions, unless there were seriously health reasons – allergies and the like – involved. With Lady Toni and the others, Castiel knew that they were going to try the patience of Amara and Gabriel greatly, but hopes that they would at least come over to speak graciously to them. It’s been a while since he’s seen either of them.

=

Amara is cursing in multiple languages, going rapidly from one to another as the restaurant works around her. “No dairy, no this, substitute that! What does Lady Bevell take me for, a trained monkey?”

“She takes everyone for that, if it means getting what she wants,” Gabriel said, taking the other and frowning before glancing back up at the waiter. “How many people are at this table?”

“Two,” the waiter said, looking obviously proud of the sales.

“Ok, two, but _all the specials?_ ” He glances back at the notes. All specials, no substitutions, will hold out for dessert if there is pie.

_ PIE?! Are they joking? They can have anything they want – freakin’ gold-leaf encrusted chocolate, crème brulee, anything, and they request **PIE**?!? _

Gabriel calls out the order, his anger rising. Just pie, but they’re ordering all of Amara’s dishes as-is? Oh no. No no no, this isn’t about to fly with him. These people are not only gonna get his BEST pie – and he means that, his absolute, heartwarming, my-grandma’s-pie-sucks best pie, and then they’re gonna get to sample his other stuff. And they will _rue the day_ they only asked for _pie_ as a dessert.

“Gabriel?”

“I gotta make the ice-cream,” he mutters, “what should I add in? No, vanilla is best, screw that, they’re getting it.”

“Gabriel…”

“Pie, they have a world-renown pastry chef and--.”

“GABRIEL!” “WHAT?” he glances over at Amara, upset she burst into his creative bubble, and she’s holding the ticket, confused.

_ “Every special? _ ”

“Yes. For two people. And pie afterwards.”

“And…no substitutions?”

The waiter and Gabriel both shook their head, the waiter saying, “The sir at the table insists on no substitutions, and trying everything you make as-is. He says if you are to make a blood-orange relish, he wishes to see how good it is.”

Amara straightened, her own fire suddenly burning before she begins to call out the orders, finally ending on, “I’m making the casserole myself!” Gabriel smirked, then went back to his desserts. _Pie…_ honestly, he’s going to make sure that person eats pie _and cake_ and…

=

Everyone pauses their own eating and chatting when the dishes for the two arrive, the long line making Castiel blink in surprise. The man is smiling widely, and the woman with him appears just as happy to see the flow of food as it is given to them. Castiel notices that there is only one of each specialty, but that all of them seem to have been prepared to the best quality that they could, getting him to almost wish that his stomach allowed him to eat one of the specials on his first day, and happy that his long stay would allow him to at least sample something that Amara and Gabriel come up with later. Still, they are on point tonight, and he hears both Meg and Rowena chatting about all of it, Meg wondering what each tastes like as the two Talbots work their way through it, the man making a noise that is far too orgasmic to be allowed in a public setting. The lady laughs, he looking over at her as Castiel catches only the barest part of their conversation.

“You’re enjoying yourself, Dean?”

“It’s as good as it looks, Bela.” He moves to get some of the food, holding out a fork so she can take a dainty bite and the two chat quietly, each trying some of the food but all of the plates being cleaned before a dessert cart comes out.

Rowena and Meg let out little sounds of near jealousy as the man and woman look through it before a huge, hot, generous helping of what appears to be apple pie, along with a generous dollop of freshly made ice-cream, is placed before the man. Despite Lady Toni’s attempt to draw attention to her, everyone is already watching the two as they take their forks and dive in. The woman’s back is turned towards them, but her back shivers and moves in pleasure just as they see the man close his eyes in what can only be the deepest, best satisfaction that someone could get outside of sex. Castiel is almost drawn in when another two deserts are put in front of them – a three-tier, expertly made, full on chocolate orgasm cake. He knows it’s called that because Gabriel made it for Anna once, and the woman has not been able to enjoy chocolate since. This gets Rowena to let out a small whimper at the sight of it, and both Meg and Crowley draw in a breath at the drizzle that goes along it.

The man, Dean, looks at it and speaks quickly to the dessert cart waiter as Bela Talbot takes the piece. Castiel wants to warn her, but it’s too late. There’s a deep, satisfied intake of breath before one last dessert – what looks like a tart or something similar – is left and the cart comes over, the waiter nodding before handing Rowena, Meg, and Castiel three different plates. “Compliments of the sir – he says he would hate to have so much wonderful dessert go to waste.”

Castiel blinks, looking back over at Dean as he happily eats the tart and pie, sneaking bits of the cake as Bela seems to let out little attacks of her own, the two obviously happy together. Lady Toni sniffs at the dessert, instead watching as Meg glances at Castiel, Rowena not bothering to look at anyone as she eats the chocolate one given to her, and Crowley smiles at his own dessert – a crème brulee – before expertly cracking it and then looking up and following Castiel and Meg’s gaze, Lady Toni also looking and blinking in surprise.

The dessert cart has gone to where Mr. Ketch is trying to discipline some of the bellhops, and now…they have dessert as well. Castiel wouldn’t be surprised if, by the end of the night, the whole of the house staff has some sort of sweet to take home or have later. His own he boxes up for later – he’s full and coffee is the only thing for him now – and watches the two finish off their chosen food before they all see Chef Amara walk out, speak briefly to a scared waiter, then walk over towards them…

She turns the moment she gets at the table with the Talbots, speaking to them in what seems like a friendly manner as Castiel glances to see Lady Toni, halfway to rising, motioning now towards the angry and always-nearby Mr. Ketch as he whispers to her. The group look back in time to see Gabriel also walk over, Amara waving him off as he tries to talk and Dean seeming to say something that calms him down enough he sits.

Castiel blinks in surprise – again – as the newest attraction now is who the man and woman are, and especially…

“Do you know them?” Crowley asks Meg as she sips on her wine, she and Rowena enraptured by the sight and apparently not upset as Amara and Gabriel both wave away Lady Toni’s motions to come and speak to them, instead talking to Dean Talbot and focused on whatever he was saying. Castiel almost wants to feel sorry for Bela, but she is sitting back, looking almost _proud_ of the whole thing, and speaking up only when she has something to add in.

“Why should I?” Meg asks, curious as Crowley answers, “Because he mentions being from your area and knowing something of your work.”

Rowena lets out light snort as Meg shrugs. “Contrary to popular belief, you can’t know everyone in your company, or who you’ve met at any point. He might be a rival who happens to know a lot about me, he might work for me, he might actually know me. I don’t remember him, so we’re all in the dark.”

“I do so love a mystery without a murder,” Rowena says cheerfully, sipping on her own expensive wine as she glances at Lady Toni. “Come now, don’t bring back the stooge or those two, we’re having too much fun with this. Besides, the attention off of you means you have a chance to plan whatever you want, right?”

“I’m not planning much, not that I don’t already have written down and ready to share with you, if you’re all done fawning over our obviously rich hotel mates,” Lady Toni said, a bit of acid to her tongue, as Crowley chuckles and Castiel looks to her, a bit concerned. It did not do her well to be so upset by the spotlight being taken away from her by something so odd, or to downplay its importance in such a way. He knows the hotel eats from her hand because of her status and power, as well as her money, but he also knows that the hotel has seen its share of lords and ladies of various cultures and countries. Lady Toni Bevell is not the first, nor the last, to pass through these doors and try to command attention, only to be upstaged by another. The sooner she learned that lesson, the better her company, and those she is able to bring in to her schemes, would be.

“We have yet to cut ties with you, but if you believe that you must command the room in all things, then we’ll have to let your plans speak for itself, and not allow you to explain it.” That gets everyone to fall silent at the table – of the group, Castiel is the biggest investor and has the most to give to any of Lady Toni’s ideas, but his family also will only send one representative and that is the end-all of any transactions. If he decides to cut someone out, they are cut out completely. It had only happened once, but it had devastating effects on the one who’d been cut out.

Lady Toni is quiet at that, and Castiel adds as he drinks his coffee, “I am still interested in the proposal, of course, I am simply saying that I’d rather do business with a person who shows their professional side more than their petty one.”

She offers a smile and the rest raise their glasses, hinting that despite all that Lady Toni might want, she is still going to have to play the businessman as well as their host, and not simply whatever she felt she should be. “Of course. Shall we settle the bill and retire to my room? I can give you all the information you need there.”

=

Amara and Gabriel are not about to leave before the inspection of the kitchen, cleaned from dinner and stocked for breakfast, is done. They both saw the plates of sugary treats that left with happy staff and noticed the joy from the waiters who served the Talbots. But overall, they were _inspired_ , in a strange way.

“She figured it all out?” Amara mutters, surprised and happy for the first time in a long time, “She guessed each little thing, even down to the spices. I must do something to surprise her.” Such a pallet on not one, but two people who were obviously interested in her food – as it was, as it was meant to be tasted, but also knowing some of the substitutes and tricks, the ways around allergies and the like, made her almost giddy to think and try out something they’d mentioned, something about a type of fluff to a cheesy pasta....she’d have to perfect that and maybe add it in before the next night’s dinner, or the dinner after that.

Gabriel was less inspired by that – sugar and preservatives abound in that, and it’s easy enough to make any sort of dessert in that way, but he considered what the man had done. Gabriel had decided to make him pay for what was a perceived insult…and the man had instead enjoyed it.

“ _The cake was great, man, but I mean…you’re really trying too hard. I don’t want chocolate, not because I don’t like it, but I really just don’t want it right now. I asked for pie. Give me a great pie. Not that you didn’t, it was great, but…what was with all the rest?_ ”

What was with it? Why be insulted by asking for a pie?

The two let out breaths before both asked, curious and exhausted and completely uncertain, “Who _were_ those two?”

The waiters only know from service – they were not there for lunch and had arrived without a reservation for the restaurant, but at a time that gave them enough that they’d be sure to have a small table available, especially one that might be out of the way, and also were good enough to be in comfortable enough clothing that they could wait or go to another restaurant or to the bar while they waited. The give-away to all the other tables who were finished, as well to the staff, meant that they had money to spend. The ordering of all the specials meant they knew their food, and both had picked up on small things that Amara hadn’t thought anyone outside of a world-class restaurateur would pick up on.

And yet…no one had heard of the Talbots. So…where did these two come from, and what were they doing here?

=

“ _All the desserts?_ ” Balthazar whistled as he FaceTimed with Castiel, the phone propped up as Castiel explained the day’s events and went over the packet that Lady Toni had given them after explaining her desire – it involved a great deal of construction for a new area, one that required some zoning changes and a good group. He gazes through the various offers for the different points, letting out a bit of a sigh as he sees her need for them. All of them will probably end up sinking some bit of money into this, for so long, and while the returns will be good, at one point she’ll buy them out and do something with it. He’s not sure what, but it should be interesting.

“Yes,” Castiel informs him, “and all the specials. They also had a lengthy talk with Amara and Gabriel after they were done – long enough that we had to distract Lady Bevell from being upset by it.”

Balthazar laughed. “ _That sounds priceless, Our Lady of Perpetual Bitchiness getting outshone by some newbies._ ” A pause, mostly for a drink, before Balthazar added, “ _You never told me what they did.”_

“I’m not sure myself. They seem to have a great deal of money and are not too upset with it being thrown away,” Castiel tells him, considering, and putting away the proposal – he’s already uploaded it with his own notes for Michael and Raphael to review, not to mention Balthazar to add in his own notes. “They’re married, I assume, but beyond that, they are simply…magnanimous. You notice them when they walk in, when they speak, when they smile. It’s something that’s interesting to witness, and equally interesting to simply watch and see how it plays out. They also have nearly all the staff eating out of their hands now.”

“ _You give the staff cake, you’ll make them happy. It’s probably not just that, though. Customer service always remembers when their service is recognized, Cassie. You know that.”_

“Yes, and sadly here, with Lady Toni Bevell, they don’t always get that recognition.” He checked the time and let out a long sigh. “It’s time for me to rest, Balthazar. I’ve sent you the information, but I will keep you informed on what I find here.”

Balthazar confirms that he got the e-mail before hanging up, Castiel glancing over at the piece of pie he’d kept from dinner. He considers for a long while before he takes a fork out, cutting into the cold pie and tasting it. It’s like all of Gabriel’s desserts – good, but Castiel has tried many of Gabriel’s desserts, and so he’s not quite as surprised by any of it. If anything, it tastes simply odd…as if Gabriel was attempting something and managed it somewhat, but was doing it while upset. Either way, Castiel should rest up – the morning promises to be busy, and that’s before they get a chance to relax at the spa.


	2. Snows and Spas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean spend more time together.

Part 2: Snow and Spas

“You’re in a foul mood,” Meg says, Rowena having disappeared to the spa for the day after telling Lady Toni that she would speak to her privately about her own concerns. Lady Toni looks almost annoyed by that, but is even more upset that her planned ski-trip is down to only Meg and Castiel – Crowley had disappeared to run his own ski, and so the group is hiking along the near-empty trails that allow for that particular run. Castiel doesn’t mind it, but he does mind that the report sent back from Raphael and Michael are far less detailed then he likes, but also seem to hint at their own reasons for disliking Lady Bevell’s proposal, though it’s not enough for him to give a full ‘no’ for the project. Balthazar’s is less upsetting, but also marked up and coffee-stained, showing his own levels of not caring about the project.

“I am simply not a morning person,” he tells her, wishing he’d had more coffee before heading out. Lady Toni offers less of a smile and more of a concerned look that obviously says she knows it’s not just the morning. “Though the view helps,” he adds, in the hopes that Lady Bevell would understand that it’s not her or her proposal, but his own family, company, and their handling of something that he views, at least now, as important.

“There is that,” Meg says, looking out over the mountains and the ski slope, full of various skiers and snowboarders who do their best to not run into each other. The area is not quite as serene as he’d like, but it’s far quieter than one would suspect, and allows him to people-watch as Lady Toni speaks to Meg about her own part in the proposal. The two are so engrossed that they don’t see Dean and Bela get away from their instructor, the two attempting to stop their snowboards and instead getting Crowley to attempt it. That results in…what Castiel can only call ‘hijinks’. The sudden yell from some of the others, the call to “move!” from Dean as Bela finally lands and the instructor catches up with them, only to have Crowley ski down after Dean, apparently attempting to prove a point that ends with Dean managing to land safely before a snow drift and Crowley to land _in_ the drift, creates a spectacle for everyone.

Meg cackles and has to cover her mouth as more laughter threatens to escape, Lady Toni turning away and a quiet giggle escaping from her as well as Castiel moves to take the slope down, going over to Dean is carefully maneuvering his board so he could help Crowley up, the other man threatening him with a lawsuit or something.

“Ok, first of all, we told you to move and tried to stop, _you_ got too close and we got stuck,” Dean told him as Castiel arrived, looking between the two, “and second, you fell down further up. You started that race. Next time, learn to stay down when it’s not worth it.”

“I fail to see how that is your first time on a snowboard,” Castiel speaks up, getting their attention and finally seeing Dean’s face fully for the first time and not on a profile. He’s pushed up the snow goggles and is wearing a dark snow suit, complimenting his slightly tanned skin, freckles, and beautiful green eyes. He smiles, a toothy grin that would disarm any lesser man, and has Castiel smiling a bit back at him in return.

“I didn’t do a lot of skiing, and I figured snowboarding would be easier. One board over two poles, right?”

“Skiing has more techniques,” Crowley corrected him, Castiel nodding in response, “and snowboarding should be easy to stop.”

“Key word there – should be.” He glances back up the mountain and manages to wave to Bela and the instructor. “I should figure this out…doubt I can get back up to them.”

“No,” Castiel said, glancing at Crowley and his snow-covered self, then at Dean and his cheerful but helpful self. “Though you should wait for your wife to meet you.”

Dean blinks at him as Meg and Lady Toni move to speak to Bela, apparently offering to help her down the mountain before Dean says, “Well, she’s not my wife.”

Both men blink before starting to shift to work their own way down the mountain. “Then why sign in as the Talbots?” Crowley asked, curious and smiling a bit as they reached a kiddie slope, the incline less and allowing for them to go down at an even pace, “Unless you decided to be a rebel and take her name.”

“It’s a long story, but we’re not related and not married,” Dean tells them, “Besides, I like it better as a Talbot, I guess. I’m originally a Winchester.”

“And you and she…what, hit it off?”

“We met at the same time and she wanted to go traveling. She picked the place, and we switch on who gets to do what. The snowboarding was her idea,” he adds as they get down, Dean managing to get out of the rented snowboard and handing it over to the disgruntled but somewhat pacified instructor as Castiel saw Lady Toni and Meg began to move to go back up the mountain. A glance from Meg said she wanted to speak to Lady Toni alone, and Castiel had to agree – he needed to speak to his own family about everything, and the news that Dean was available…well…

If things went sour, the day might not be a complete loss.

“You,” Bela Talbot said as she came up to Dean, hooking her arm around him, “are horrible.”

“And you love it,” he teased back, getting Bela to chuckle before holding out her hand to Castiel and Crowley, who were watching the two with interested. “Sorry, this is…um…” he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. “I didn’t catch the name of the guy who tried to send me down a black diamond route.”

“Well, we were doing other things,” Crowley said before taking Bela’s gloved hand and kissing it. “Crowley, at your service, and yes, it’s all one name.”

“I’m sure it’s not,” Bela tells him as he smiles, Castiel rolling his eyes and holding out his hand to Dean, who takes it as Castiel says, “Castiel Renald.”

“Dean Winchester. Glad to finally meet.” He’s quiet, considering, before he says, “Wait, you’re from that big family or whoever – the one where the family is really tight-knit, or they say they are and they all look weird, they consider their corporation the family.”

He nods. “Yes, from Angelus. I’m here on business, though luckily there is some leisure.”

“Lucky you,” Dean says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, a sudden sadness to both him and Bela, “We’re here for business of a sort.”

“Business? Involving ordering all the specials and then selling off the dessert cart?” Crowley asks as Bela shrugs, still near Dean, the two appearing uncertain what to say to the question.

“It’s complicated business,” she finally settles on, “but it’s not completely leisure-less.”

Castiel can understand that, though he sees Crowley giving them a very thoughtful look before Dean says, “Listen, how about I buy you a drink, as an apology for you getting me all stuck on your skis and you plowing into that snow bank.”

“I’m beginning to think it’s less an apology and more an excuse to buy someone a drink,” Crowley tells him as they head inside as well, both returning their rented skis as Bela laughs a bit at Crowley’s sullen reply.

“Well, you could turn down the drink, and we could invite him instead,” Bela winks at Castiel, who tilts his head in confusion as Crowley quickly says, “I wasn’t turning it down, love, merely making an observation.” The group headed inside, Castiel walking next to Dean as Crowley asked the two a few questions about their time at the Grandhotel and what they were doing next.

“Besides drinking, we were going to head to the spa,” Bela said, once more motioning to Dean, “but that’s _his_ idea. He didn’t like the snowboarding.”

“I’m all for snow-sports, I just didn’t like that one. And you signed us up for _base-jumping_ tomorrow.”

Bela squeezes Dean’s arm and she smiles fondly at him. “I signed myself up. You don’t have to come if you don’t want.”

Dean smiles, kissing her forehead as they reach the bar before saying, “So, drinks?”

Crowley motions to the bartender, one that he obviously knows, before Dean orders a whiskey and Bela orders a shot of something called a Purple Nurple. Castiel simply gets himself water – he drinks with meals, not casually like others – and glances at the two as Dean looks at her. “That’s seriously a drink?”

“It’s a shot, and yes,” she tells him with a smile, “You’ll like it.”

He chuckles before looking back at Castiel and asking, “So, did you know your brother Michael is a bastard?”

“I assumed he was, but I doubt you’re talking about his parentage,” Castiel says as their drinks arrive, Dean looking at the shot that Bela hands him before, with a smile and a shrug, downing it with her. He blinks in surprise as Crowley watches the two curiously and Bela taps Dean on the shoulder. “I don’t feel like the spa. I’m going to go up to the room for a bit, then to the healing waters for a swim. See you at dinner?”

“Sure. Take care,” he tells her as she leaves them, Crowley watching before he looks back at Dean. “Whatever did you do to get so lucky?”

“Oh, the usual,” Dean tells him as he begins to work on his whiskey, “ran into her by accident, then on purpose, then we decided that, since I got a passport and she had hers and we weren’t doing anything for New Year’s, let’s go on a trip. We were both our own bosses at that point, so it helped that we could take the time off whenever we wanted.” He glances back to Castiel as he adds, “That’s also why your brother is a bastard, by the way, and so is Masters. They had meetings with us, and they skipped on them.”

Castiel sips his water, considering what he knew of Michael’s schedule, then saying, “I would apologize on his behalf, but as he does that often, I feel I cannot. Raphael is a far better caretaker of our company, though Michael believes he must be everything to it – especially the image.”

“Image didn’t help him there if he decides to not show of a meeting, then doesn’t even attempt to smooth things over with me or the company.” That makes Castiel pause, seeing Crowley give Dean a look as Dean takes a generous drink of his whiskey. “He only made the meeting time because I asked nicely, and I made sure he was fine with the time and date, then he didn’t show up, and I know he called to ‘apologize’ to me personally, but since I’m here now instead of there...well, he messed that one up.” He shrugs, as if having Michael Renald courting him was no big deal – that was the only tactic Michael knew when it came to dating, Castiel recalled, and he wonders if Dean realizes that Michael is interested in him. Or that Castiel is considering hiding the fact that Dean is here so he could have him for himself, and repair the damages done by Michael’s ego.

Crowley seems genuinely interested in the fact that Dean was screwed over by Michael, and finally gives him a smile. “You sound positively unhappy with the idea, so maybe I can help out, though I would need some information first.”

Dean snorts and shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good. Sorry, it was just the one thing from work that irked me. I’m supposed to be relaxing – I should probably go to the spa for my treatment then.” He finishes the whiskey, Castiel considering for a long moment and looking at his water – if Michael was courting Dean, that meant Dean was available, or that Michael believed him to be. It’s hard to know for sure, and Castiel _wants_ to know, and…

“I’ll have to see if I can join you,” Castiel says, getting Crowley to look at him in wide-eyed surprise. Castiel is not known for being spontaneous in anything, and now he’s taking a risk with someone he just officially met a few hours ago. But something about Dean makes Castiel want to find out more about him, to find out what it is about him that draws Castiel to him.

Dean smiles at him, and once more, Castiel sees that odd sadness about him, as if he’d like it, but something is holding him completely back. “That’d be nice. Maybe you can take Bela’s spot, if she’s fine with it. I can give her a call when we get there.”

Castiel nods in agreement, following Dean out with Crowley watching the two as Dean asks, “This isn’t some other apology for your brother, is it?”

“I don’t apologize on Michael’s behalf,” Castiel tells him simply as they head to where the hotel’s spa is located.

This time, when Dean smiled at him, the whole thing was a bit happier.

=

Rowena finds Crowley as he’s nursing his third scotch, frowning when she looks at him. “I heard from Masters you got shoved into the snow for being an idiot.”

“Always nice to know you two are getting along.”

“Oh, I had a grand old time a few moments ago,” she said with a smirk, “I and that Bela woman got into an elevator together and spoke – she’s very nice after a soak and possible deep talk with Masters – but on our way down to go shopping, we saw the most _interesting_ thing.” Rowena ordered her own drink and another one that comes over – a huge frou-frou drink with a devil’s trident in it, and for hers a big margarita of some sort. Crowley glances at the bartender, who at least isn’t stifling a laugh, and replies “Danke” before glancing back at the smug Rowena. “What’s so interesting then, or do you want me to take a drink so I might spit it out?”

She considers before shaking her head, “No, I think I’ll keep this to myself. Besides, I doubt you’d be able to either use this, and having it to trade information with you is far better than some quickie spit-take.” She sips from her margarita or whatever smoothie alcoholic drink she had before saying, “I must say, those two Talbots have made this trip almost worth it. If it wasn’t for them, I’d have left long ago.”

“You wouldn’t have,” he argues, trying his own drink, “You would stay to watch us tear into our Lady of Perpetual Stick Up Her--.” “And you wouldn’t?” the interruption sends him back into his drink, which was actually pretty good. He considers a long moment before shrugging.

“I honestly don’t know, but I will admit that I am mostly staying to see what those two will do next. So far they are disrupting our little party the most, but the results so far have been interesting – two chefs coming out to speak to a table, and now Castiel ran off with one of the Talbots to try to get into his pants.” Rowena looks at him in surprise, Crowley smirking as he nods. “I know, it’s amazing, and I can’t wait to see the end result of this, no matter what the outcome.”

=

“ _You look refreshed,_ ” Balthazar says as he looks at Castiel in the bathrobe, the Skype call one that was setup a while ago and that Castiel feels like he should have remembered earlier, but the relaxing day – a massage, followed by meditation and relaxation in or near the healing waters – had done wonders for him. Castiel wondered why he didn’t simply find a good massage parlor earlier, but he supposes it was because before this, he always associated them with crude places for sex. This was the first time he’d been in one, and realized what they really were.

“I was invited to have a spa day,” Castiel tells him, thinking back to what Dean had said to him when he mentioned he never had a spa day beforehand.

_“Do you at least relax somehow?”_

_“Of course I do. Simply not in a spa,” Castiel said, “I had only ever heard or been directed to lesser spas.”_

_Dean is quiet before he says, “You didn’t look it up yourself?”_

_“What?”_

_“The spas. You just accepted what was said and went with it?”_

_“It came from a credible source, so yes.”_

_Dean takes off the cucumbers from his eyes, looking at him curiously. “How’d you know that? I mean, yeah, I get if they’re credible a few times, but you should have at least checked for this.”_

__

_“They were credible in everything else, why not that?” Castiel asks, looking at him with some confusion._

_Dean lets out a sigh, looking like he can’t believe he’s explaining this. “Sometimes if they’re credible in one thing, they aren’t credible in anything else, Cas. I mean, your brother is pretty credible and a great guy, I’m sure, when it comes to mergers and the like, but he’s_ shit _when it comes to actual work on those. He expects his name and reputation to get anyone he wants, and you don’t bank on that. It’s not a plausible way to do business. You have to figure things out for yourself.”_

“Balthazar, do you think I trust our family too much in things?”

“ _Yes, but in their defense, most of what they say is true,”_ Balthazar answers, getting Castiel to let out a huff of annoyance. “ _How are things going with Lady Toni and her plan?_ ”

“She seems content with drawing this out until the New Year, and is less than thrilled at the fact that the Talbots seemed to have gotten more of the attention of the staff than she gets, despite them both throwing around the same amount of money.” Castiel pauses to yawn a bit before adding, “I suppose it’s because they’re using their money in a different ways.”

“ _It’s likely that,_ ” Balthazar says, smiling as he watches Castiel yawn again, “ _Have you gotten a chance to speak to Lady Bevell about our changes? Or is she still throwing a fit about the fact she’s not the center of attention?_ ”

“Last I saw her, she was getting better at acting like it didn’t bothered her, but overall she’s simply been courting us. I doubt she’ll do more than simply continue to try that and maybe show up the Talbots. However, since I have yet to see her get ready for any sort of criticism, we’ll have to see if anything comes out of it tonight. She still wants us to remain until the New Year, so we apparently have a lot of time to listen to her offers and convince her to change up her plan.”

Balthazar nods, looking over something and saying, “ _I noticed you don’t quite like proposal._ ”

“It’s too one-sided,” Castiel says, thinking back to what Dean had said, “and I haven’t gotten any information to prove otherwise. I should look into it as well, to figure out her motivations.”

Balthazar seems a bit confused before saying, “ _I suppose that will help, though I’m curious what it will give us besides some leverage._ ”

Castiel shrugs before finally saying, “Perhaps I’d simply like to know what is going on for myself, so I could better make a choice if the time comes for us to make a final decision. Besides, as you said, I am too trusting of our own intel. I should learn more on my own, so I can be sure.”

Balthazar smiles at that, then says, “ _Well, I’ll look up things on my end as well. Anything else, Cassie?_ ”

He considers asking about Michael, and the missed meeting that resulted in the dislike that Dean showed for Castiel’s older brother, but instead he shakes his head. He doesn’t doubt that Michael will lie about the reason, and though he doesn’t know Dean that well, he supposes he has less of a reason for lying than Michael does. Not to mention that truthfully, he cannot see a reason for it to come up.

“Not at the moment, Balthazar. Thank you.” Castiel signs off and stretches, thinking things over before wondering if this dinner will have the same event as yesterday, or if Amara and Gabriel would instead try for something else.

That doesn’t stop him from remembering the brief glimpse he got of Dean as he disrobed in the hidden area beside him – the tanned skin, the muscular body…the bits of scars…and the giggle from the attendant as Dean whispers, “They feel good, ok?” that peaked Castiel’s curiosity enough that, after Dean had left and Castiel lingered behind, he had tapped the masseuse on the shoulder and asked what it was that made her giggle, ready to slip her a tip before she shook her head. Whatever it was that felt good, he would have to figure out on his own.


	3. Changes and Upsets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Toni is not happy, but has to learn to change. Also, sexy times with Dean and Cas.

Part 3: Changes and Upsets

Lady Antonia Bevell was not having a good week. So far, all attempts to focus the group on her project had resulted in multiple talks about the issues with the proposals – which was preposterous, she’d tailored the proposals to meet all their needs! – and now, to top it all off, she was having to deal with some Neanderthal _idiot_ and his trolling woman for the attention of her investors!

When they’d arrived that night for dinner, Castiel Renald and Meg Masters had broken away to speak to the two Talbots, inviting them over and leaving Lady Bevell with little choice but to stumble out an affirmative when asked about the two joining them. The man was wearing something besides his tuxedo – this time a suit with tie that brought out the green color in his eyes – and Renald was all but drooling over the prospect of getting at him. When they learned that the two had a special table set aside for them…all bets were off, and her group was split.

What was worse was Amara came over herself to speak to that bitch woman _personally_ , getting her man to look proud of himself, and making Lady Bevell want to break something. Crowley and Rowena McLeod were the only two at her table with her, and both seemed to only watch the whole thing with an air of seeing it as a form of enjoyment. Enjoyment! Her project was on the line, and--.

“You should stop being so tense,” Rowena said in a purr that made Lady Bevell blush at the reminder that she and that woman had seen her in the lift with…. “They aren’t going away from you or your proposal.”

“And how do you know that?”

“We drink, and know things,” Crowley said as he sipped on his expensive scotch, “and besides, having dinner with you each night while you try to show us how wonderful the project is? A little too cliché. We all gave you our reports and requests…fix it, and we can deal. That’s how this works.”

It isn’t, though, and she is ready to stab him in the eye with her fork if he so much as suggests it. A great deal is riding on the line for this proposal, and she has no time to listen to all their petty squabbling about some small thing. They have to accept her proposal, and this is the only way she knows to _get_ that acceptance. She will _not_ be overshadowed by some upstart hussy and her Ken doll.

McLeod is quiet, watching her, and Lady Bevell does her best to compose herself, but obviously she’s been caught as the red-head says, putting her napkin down on her plate, “Well, it’s been fun, Crowley, Lady Bevell, but I think I’ll go and have some wee drinks with my shopping buddy. She’s got quite the taste in fashion, and knows her things.” With that, another one is gone, the red-head walking over to speak to the slut and Masters about something as the two agree but, before Rowena can slide out, the man says…something…to her. Rowena pauses, looking at him like for a long moment as he simply gives her a warm, caring smile.

And then, a waiter is called to bring another seat, another setting it placed, and Rowena is _ordering dinner with them._

“Cozy, just the two of us?”

“Crowley…”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself with your ambitions,” he tells her seriously, “and you should stop that. There’s a reason Renald was sent here instead of his brothers, and that Masters came at all. Your reputation is a good one, I’ll grant that, and you and your company couldn’t lead anyone astray if they tried, and I’ve seen them try…but lose the stick up your bum.” She flushed in anger as he adds, “Small changes are for a reason. Do you want the help with it, or are you simply going to be stubborn until the deal goes away instead of falling through?”

She looks back at the group talking at dinner. The two Talbots are speaking about food, the décor, anything but a proposal. She is here, with Crowley, talking possible business in a crowded restaurant where someone else could overhear. And all she needs is them to be onboard. He’s right…and he’s only here telling her this because of those two.

“I…will think on your advice.”

He gives her a smile, raising his glass. “All I can ask. Now…what to have for dinner?”

=

Bela, Meg, and Rowena go to the bar for drinks, Rowena stopping to speak to Lady Bevell before that and seeming open to whatever the woman had to say. Castiel sees Dean smile as Bela and Meg watch, Bela far enough away to give the trio privacy in the bar and to allow them to leave without her as needed. Castiel considers following, but a discrete glance at Crowley makes him think better of it.

Whatever the two had added to the proposal, it’s obvious too important for Lady Bevell, and as she approaches Castiel, he sees Dean shift enough away and appear enamored by the figurines and paintings on the ceiling. “Mr. Renald, forgive me, but I was wondering if we could possibly meet tomorrow morning to go over the changes you wished to make? They are far too numerous and seem to have a few others putting in their views, so I must have the chance to address them all.”

He nods, adding, “If you’d like, I could schedule a time so that you might also speak with my cousin, Balthazar. He would be able to give a faster answer to some of the questions than I could, and I can answer for my own issues.”

She smiles and nods at this, heading out with the three as Bela walks up to where he and Dean are, Dean smiling as Bela chuckles. “Well, I do so enjoy a fairy-tale ending for mergers or whatever they’re doing.” She held up a finger to Castiel. “That was not an invitation to explain. I’ve no time for such things.” She glanced back at Dean before saying, “I feel like a few drinks, and maybe some more of the night-life here. I heard there’s a big thing going on at the casino tomorrow. Do you want to try our luck there?”

“If you think we have some luck,” Dean says with a bit of a laugh at their private joke before glancing at Castiel, then back to her. “Anything comes up…call?”

She nods, giving him a smile and a kiss on the cheek before heading back into the club, Dean glancing at Castiel with a happy smile on his cheek. “So…wanna know something no one else does?”

Castiel frowns at that, and finally nods, seeing Dean lean in to whisper, “Bela and I aren’t dating. We’re really just friends…and my room is open all night. Unless you want me to come to yours.”

Dean’s breath is hot, untouched by alcohol, and it sets Castiel’s veins on fire as he looks at him, searching for some sort of joke or other lie, and finds none. He remembers that Dean had been speaking to Michael, and finally asks, “If this is about my brothers…”

Dean shakes his head, letting out a sudden laugh. “No, dude. I pick who I like…and I like you. Not your brother, not your friends…you. Just you. At least, I like you in the way that says we can sleep in the presidential suite.” He smirks, holding up his key. “Wanna try out the bed? It’s nice.”

Like with the spa date, or the talk during it, Castiel finds himself wanting to take that risk. He can’t think on who this person is, or why they have that power over so many – perhaps it’s not just his beauty, but his sincerity. Dean sincerely wishes people happiness in some things, he sincerely is happy when everyone loved the food, and he just as sincerely wishes to take Castiel to bed with him.

So it’s not until the empty elevator ride up that Castiel admits, “I…have never…”

Dean glances at him, offering up a smile as he reaches out to grab Castiel’s hand. “Like I said…we got all night, we can take it slow.”

Castiel is quiet before saying, “And…would we have other nights to…learn?”

That causes Dean to fall silent for a long moment, considering, before saying, “We got all the time given to us, Cas. However long that might be.”

=

Castiel isn’t inexperienced completely – he understands the ideas of kissing and the like, of pleasure before sex. He simply gained a great deal of his knowledge through stories and the internet, so he suspects much of it is as bad as his original feelings about spas and other places. Dean’s guidance is quiet but firm, explaining and praising him with each touch and trial, with each hesitant kiss and pull and touch and _taste_ of Dean, seeing his wide chest and defined muscles, the few scars that cause Castiel to pause before Dean pulls his head up and whispers, “Later…talk about it later…” before kissing Castiel breathless. He didn’t realize that a kiss like that – demanding, promising, and encompassing so much of Castiel’s mouth – could make him so _hard_ and needy so quickly.

“ _Dean_ ,” Castiel moaned as they parted, Dean pulling briefly on Castiel’s bottom lip as they lay side by side, naked and panting, a sudden fear spiking through him, “I…which…”

“We can just do this,” Dean whispers, shifting closer to line up their cocks, his hand wrapping around them as Castiel moans at the feel, his body writhing and sensitive from the new stimuli as his own hand moves to cover Dean’s. “We got time to figure the rest out, Cas, promise I’ll make time.”

Castiel pants as he puts his head against Dean’s shoulder, rocking up into their hands and against Dean’s cock as he feels his hips begin to move of their own accord, pumping quickly in and out of the space, Dean and his hand tightening as Castiel feels his need start to grow, hearing Dean pant and feeling the other man move with him, feeling something slick on them.

“Ah, Dean, Dean, it’s…ah…”

“Just let go, Cas,” Dean whispers, pulling him close and kissing him along the neck and shoulder, pushing at the same pace as Castiel feels himself get closer, blushing from the pleasure and shame. “It’s ok to go now, we got all night.”

_All night, and the next, and the next…_

At the thought of this happening again, of _another night_ , of _more nights_ , of even following Dean back and learning more about him, of _forever, however long we have…_ Castiel can’t help but come at the new sensations, at the feelings, at _everything,_ semen coating Dean’s hand and Castiel letting out a yell of pleasure into Dean’s shoulder, only to find the other man’s cock still hard, still pulsing and waiting for more pleasure, as Dean holds him still, letting him get through his own orgasm before he hears Dean chuckle in a breathless way.

“That was some first time, Cas.” He kisses Castiel against the side of his neck, holding him carefully as he release their cocks and hugs him close. “When you’re ready, we can do round two.”

Castiel shifts a bit away, composing himself, and slowly pushes Dean down. “I…want to help you.”

Dean blinks, looking surprised, as if he’s not sure what to say, and it allows Castiel the opening to try to deep-throat Dean’s cock.

_Try_ was the operative word, because he has to pull back and nearly coughs as Dean’s hips jerk slightly and he lets out a sudden, lusty, laugh. “Damn, Cas, take it easy. It’s not that simple. Here, hand on the base, like you’d handle your own…yeah…” Dean moans as the grip, Castiel running his thumb along the veins and edges of Dean’s cock as he sees Dean’s head go back, panting, obviously doing his best to keep his composure. “Yeah…kay…just…slowly. Take it in slowly…lick the head and…God, Cas…the shaft…ah, fuck…”

Once he’s figured out that he can’t take it all in, Castiel instead focuses on his job, on what he’d like and hearing Dean let out sinful, lust-filled, gasping _moans_ that even Gabriel’s desserts and Amara’s dishes couldn’t bring out. How could he have thought that Dean’s moan then was anything compared to this one? Dean starts to lose his ability to direct, instead divulging into multiple curses and praise, his hips bucking slightly as Dean manages, “Other hand…on…fuck, Cas, your _tongue…_ fuck, hand on my hip…Cas….” Castiel complies, shifting enough to hold Dean down by his body weight and hand on his hip as he continues to suck him off, hearing Dean start to whine, “Fuuuuccccckkk, Cas, I’m close, you gotta…cas…cas, I’m gonna…I….”

The first spurt goes up and into Castiel’s throat, and he’s hard pressed to keep his mouth down and around the shaft and suck up the semen that gets him to cough again, pulling away as the rest goes onto Dean’s stomach and Castiel’s hand, Dean panting and glancing over at Castiel before smiling a bit in surprise and happiness.

“Damn, that…ah…fuck, Cas, you sure you’re a virgin?”

Castiel chuckles as he lets go of Dean’s cock, sitting up and realizing how sticky he feels, seeing Dean smile before he sits up with him, kissing Castiel deeply as Castiel blushes, realizing he must still taste of Dean’s cum.

“We can either clean up and finish, or clean up and try again. It’s up to you.”

Castiel is curious, considering before saying, “I would like…to see you tomorrow, if that’s alright…not to cut this off, just…”

Dean held up a hand, sitting up and pulling Cas in for a hug. “You don’t just want to spend tonight with sex, that’s fine. You want to figure out for tomorrow, that’s also fine. I’m not gonna say no, Cas. I would like that too.”

Castiel smiles, moving in a bit closer to Dean before Dean adds, “We gotta clean up, then rest. You ok staying here tonight, or do you want to go back to your room?”

Castiel knows he has to call Balthazar and the others in the morning so he can be prepared for the meeting with Lady Toni tomorrow. He knows that he has paperwork and things to do. He wants to stay with Dean – he was not joking about the mattress or the bedding, but…

“I have work. Tomorrow…I can stay.”

Dean chuckles, the two moving out of bed as Dean glances back to Castiel, turning on the light for the bathroom and illuminating Dean’s flushed and sweating skin, the scars he has, and his defined, handsome features. “Tomorrow it is, then.”

=

“How was it?” Bela asks when she gets in, seeing Dean sitting nearby, drink in hand. He looks…frazzled, like he’s not sure what to do, and when he looks up at her, his eyes are full of unshed tears. “Oh…oh Dean…”

“He’s coming by tomorrow,” Dean says, trying to sound casual and failing, his voice getting choked up as he takes another long drink from his glass, “and…shit, Bela, I screwed up.”

She moves quickly, going over to put her arms around him as she considers her own predicament – Meg’s proposal and promise of something she can’t get, Rowena’s interest and own proposal, Amara’s offer and talk over cooking – and finally puts her face against Dean’s shoulder. “I did too. We’re a bunch of screw-ups.”

He chuckles, holding her close, before saying, “No regrets. We promised each other that, right? No regrets about this.”

Bela let out a watery laugh as tears fell down her face, thinking of all the time they _should_ have…but didn’t. “No regrets. Just the time of our lives, with the people we…” she swallows as their tears run freely and Dean gives her a smile in return.

“Yeah…with the people we….”

The two can’t say it, and Dean instead gives her a hug before saying, “Let’s rest up. We still got time.”

“All the time,” she mutters in return before moving away, standing up and offering her dress to unzip. They aren’t having sex – the one angry sex they did have, at the beginning of all this, was fun, but not for them. They want different things at the moment, and Dean wants Emmanuel Castiel Renald, of the various Renalds. He wants to befriend and smile at Rowena McLeod, offering her sympathy in such a sincere way she joins them for dinner. He wants to make sure Meg Masters knows to not break Bela’s heart.

She wants them to see her now, as Bela Talbot, not as she was before everything, and can only hope to God that they don’t realize who she really is, and that they don’t figure out Dean either.


	4. Change and Insight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is revealed...to nosey people.

Part 4: Chance and Insight

Mr. Ketch is quiet as he listens to the others gush and wax poetic about the events of the day. Apparently the Talbots had gone base jumping or something, bringing many of Lady Toni’s prospective partners with them to watch and get it on video. The two seemed to enjoy pampering themselves or the staff, to where the kitchen staff under Chef Amara were now enamored with Bela Talbot and her supposedly superior palate, while the dessert groups and everyone else were doing their best to one-up each other and get Dean’s attention away from the pie he always ordered each night after dinner. It was to the point that Gabriel was biting at the bits, and at peak creative mode.

Ketch was uninterested in any of their nonsense and the way the staff acted. It didn’t raise their performance, nor did it address any of the customer issues. Their concerns were to be those who were going to come back sooner rather than later, and from what Ketch could see, the Talbots were only here to spend money and leave behind a trail of lovers and starry-eyed believers in their tracks. He doesn’t stop the gossip, of course – a glare from both Amara and Gabriel as they come by and he appears ready to discipline Samandiriel for his continued curiosity over _who_ they were, rather than when they’d be leaving – meant he had to go out and easily meet with Lady Bevell as she comes from her time planning out the new proposals.

It’s another thing Ketch hates about the Talbots, that they had even thrown Lady Bevell’s plans into the air, that she’ll stoop to considering changing her perfect proposals and instead _negotiate_ with these low-life people and their companies. He still sees the woman she was, the woman she should be, in her at least, and is quiet as she things, tapping a finger against her lips before saying, “I will need the information about the Talbots.”

“Of course.”

“I would rather it be gotten directly,” she finally adds before saying, “They aren’t married. I had to learn that through small-talk with those I need for this project. Bela simply wished to sign for them both, and her boy-toy doesn’t mind.” She taps her finger again before saying, “Renald knows his last name, but I will need it directly to ensure the information is correct. Your usual fees?”

He nods, offering up a smile as she hands over the cash easily and walks off, not bothering to tell him anything else. He knows where to find her, and he knows how to give her the information. Nothing else needs to be said. Perfect.

=

Lady Toni dislikes using Ketch for anything, but his methods are easy and he gets what she needs, and she _needs_ information on the two who have so easily gotten into the minds and hearts of everyone but Crowley, and she’s sure that he’s only pretending to hold out so he can watch her squirm. The group are heading to visit a few places in town – local factories and areas to show off the wonders of the town’s economy that isn’t part of the hotel, and everyone appears almost too upset over…something.

They all instantly cheer up the moment they see Dean and Bela, walking arm-in-arm in their coats and looking almost pensive. She notices it even as everyone swarms them, asking for them to come and join them for the charity event and to go gambling with them at the host casino beforehand. Though Lady Toni dislikes the idea of gambling, she is almost willing to allow those two in if it means she gets to simply focus on the charity and not the event.

Renald and Masters are close to the two, making Lady Toni nearly wrinkle her nose in disgust – could they _be_ anymore obvious about their intents? – before Rowena adds in, “I hear the opening band does wonderful covers of Led Zeppelin.” That seems to catch Dean’s notice, and the mention of the main act, Smokey Robinson, gets Bela’s before the two let out quiet laughs, as if they can’t quite believe the ones they have wrapped around their fingers. Bela and Dean seem to shift, as if uncertain, before Dean looks over at Castiel. Whatever passes between them, unspoken and with the two staring at each other for nearing an uncomfortably long period of time, finally gets Dean to smile fully before he nods. “Ok. I’ll be there.”

Bela, surrounded by Masters and McLeod, is also smiling and whatever they said to her also gets her nodding before she says, “Dean and I need to rest. We’ll see you then.”

Lady Toni nods, giving them the time and following the others out as she sees Masters look back at Bela Talbot, the wistful look in her eyes nearly making Lady Toni choke in disgust over the sinful attitude that Masters was so openly showing for the woman. McLeod chuckles before she says, “She’s not like that, you know.”

“A woman can dream,” Masters tells McLeod before adding, “I just like her. There’s something about her – beyond her looks – that I like. And it’s not like I can’t take a hint and listen to her ‘no’ and still be friends, Rowena. Not everything is about attraction.”

Lady Toni puts the unnatural thing, not to mention the ones inciting these things, out of her mind as they go on the tour, thinking instead of what she wants to do with the information on the Talbots when she gets it, as well as how best to incorporate the…the feedback she got. It’s the first time she’s looked at it and realized how important this is, and some part of her is surprised she’s never thought of it as such, never thought to look to the investors. Then again, she’d never had to do something like this, and she wonders if that inexperience is showing as they finish up the tour and head back, she seeing the two Talbots out speaking to Amara and Gabriel as Mr. Ketch gives her a nod. She smiles, walking back to her room and seeing the information she requires.

The first thing she learns is that Bela is actually Abby Byrd, a name that brings back memories of a lonely girl at school, never part of the group. Her family’s untimely death and her disappearance at the age of fourteen cut her out from any other thought of Lady Toni or her circle of friends. From what was hushed up about it, and what Bela has said when later confronted on near-official records – that their deaths were justified, if accidental. Abby had no way to defend herself, and so remade herself instead of going to family and friends who all believed that she’d ‘said something’ and who apparently abused her in different ways. Lady Toni remembers the whole thing – not to mention the huge scandal that had followed after Abby’s supposed suicide and the police doing their job in a way that only occurred when another, just as powerful person got behind it.

Her Ken Doll companion was really named Dean Winchester, who had worked sales and some management at his grandfather’s store, Campbell Goods. If he did anything of interest, it was winning the science fair with a rather amazing feat of mechanical engineering for a fourteen-year-old. Yet, despite this, he never competed nationally – if anything, his story was one of obvious ability, but overshadowed by his younger brother as the family pushed _him_ into talented areas.

Still, the chain store did very well, and Dean was…Lady Toni blinked as she reread that report, confused.

…wasn’t high up in the chain of the store? _Not at all?_

_He is literally the first-born male of the store owner’s only child, and yet_ Christian Campbell _is in charge? No wonder they’ve had chains closing and issues with expanding their business._

The worst part, though, is the final bit of information that Ketch had so meticulously taken out and scanned, without any sign of remorse. Both of them had it, and both were from at least two doctors – the same doctors, yes, but it was still news that made Lady Toni’s eyes widen as she realized something and did her best to swallow down her tears.

_Inoperable, not covered under current health plan, advanced stages._

_Terminal._

Dean Winchester and Abby – no, Bela, she obviously wanted to throw off that reminder of her old life – they would both be dead shortly after New Year’s. The disease had not been noticed or found fast enough, no one had bothered to help them, and now all they had were this last few days.

There was a casual knock on her door, and she composed herself, quickly closing the computer before walking over, opening it to see Crowley standing outside, looking at her with curious and obviously concerned eyes. That only meant….

“You knew.”

“You think I’m not going to look up two new people who come in here, out of the blue, and who have such personalities?” he snorts, walking into her room, “Though I must ask why you think _Ketch_ was the best man for that. All that’s going to happen now is the staff will all know because he’ll say it to make them all unhappy. Congratulations, the staff will all hate you now.”

“I…I had to know.”

Crowley looked at her fully, different from any other business deal she’d had with him before, and his anger was evident. “Did you? Or did you simply get annoyed that this time, this one time, you were finally being pushed, and that seemed to come from the fact that we all happened to like someone better than you? Contrary to popular belief that you and your yes-men deal in, Lady Bevell, deals don’t work out the way you plan them. You must be prepared for negotiations and set-backs.” He looked at the closed laptop, then back to her. “I’m not going through with the deal.”

“What? But…if this…”

He walks up to her as he reaches for the door, towering over her in a way that is too intimidating for her to ignore, and something she’s never faced from him. “No hard feelings, Lady Bevell, but you’ve nothing to offer me that I’d want, and I have other deals to get to after this vacation. I was never interested, but I wanted to see what you’d do with such a group that you gathered.” He gives her a grin that fits better on a shark. “You’ve learned that negotiations are important, and you’ve learned that your vanity will only serve to ruin your connections. Congratulations. I’ll see you at the charity.”

Lady Toni was left alone in her room, speechless and confused, upset by something she couldn’t rightfully think about. She didn’t _know them_ , she didn’t even _care,_ but…but all the others were so much more animated. She remembers the smiles on the faces of the staff as they hide away the cake, the decadent meal that Amara had created with only a talk with Bela, the way that Renald was now smiling and relaxing, and…and…

_If what they have continues like it’s trying to…he…he’ll know too, and…and…_

She’ll have learned it through the only unsavory means – by paying a man to go through a person’s private information. She’ll have done it for the exact reason that Crowley said, and she’ll have to face the consequences of those actions.

=

Dean ends up mostly around the roulette table, Castiel putting some of his chip out and on the smaller areas that will give him twice as much, as well as near his own lucky number. Dean, smiling and with only a small handful of chips himself, changes out and places it directly on Castiel’s lucky number, getting Castiel to blink as he shrugs, the others watching and joining in after Bela puts her own money on it as well.

“Um…that’s a little reckless.”

“Charity, though, right?” Dean points out with a smile as Lady Toni comes forward, watching the two for a long moment before she and Crowley put their chips – only the minimum – on ‘0’. There were few others at the table – it was high-stakes and specifically for those in the charity – and it was just as they all stopped putting down their chips that the dealer waved her hand, sending the small ball rolling around the wheel as it continued to turn, the ball finally dropping and clattering on it until landing on the number that Castiel and the others had picked.

“Seventeen black,” the dealer said, easily divvying out the huge amounts of chips that each of them got, taking only Crowley and Lady Toni’s modest amount as everyone cleared the board and then began to place their bets again. Castiel pulls out about the same amount he’d bet before, this time piling his amount on the number that Dean picks, putting most of his winnings, even the newest ones, and put them on another black number. Crowley looks at Dean like he’s crazy, but the moment Bela also puts her money down, in the same space, Castiel can’t help but put his own bet in with Dean, the others following, Crowley putting his money on 0 again as Lady Toni puts her on red.

The ball goes again, everyone watching with bated breath as it spun, the little ball finally bouncing and landing squarely in Dean’s number. “Twenty-three black,” the dealer said, sounding a little surprised and even happy as everyone at the table cheered, quite a few others who were watching now starting to move off to test their own luck at other roulette tables or similar table games as the winnings were handed out, the losing two getting theirs taken while Dean and Bela cast a look at each other, both equally amazed by their winnings and the fact that new chips had be broken out, the pile was simply too big at the moment.

Dean is smiling, looking over at Castiel excitedly as Castiel smiles back, the two locking eyes for a long moment before Dean gave him a long, loving smile and leaned in, whispering something into Castiel’s ear, whatever it was getting him to turn bright red, his eyes wide as he looks over at Dean while Dean takes the marker that means ‘all in’, and places it on the same number as before.

Everyone looked at Dean in surprise, save for Bela, who smiles and mirrors his bet as everyone watches to see what Castiel will do. He still appears surprised, looking at him with the same wide-eyed look, his face still bright red, before he glances at the place, and finally follows suit.

“What did he promise you, Renald?” Crowley asks, getting no response as the bets are stopped and the ball goes around, spinning quickly in the wheel and having everyone watch with baited breath, Dean smiling at Castiel as they watch and wait, the sound the small ball starting to bounce and come to its end getting Castiel to look over as well, curious. The ball finally comes to a stop, the dealer sounding actually surprised but a little happy as she reads it off.

“Twenty-three black.”

Everyone, even Lady Toni, cheers as Dean’s grin gets wide, Castiel smiling back at him before he, Dean, and Bela get their winnings for the night. In total, Castiel made the least – it wasn’t a great deal, but it was enough for him to be surprised at – while Dean and Bela both had enough for the dealer to count out in the heavier tiles as opposed to the smaller chips that only went up to $100 or a little more.

“You have 3,546,305Kč.” The two looked at each other, Dean frowning as Castiel blinked in surprise, Dean looking around before glancing back at Castiel and Bela. “W-what’s that in dollars?”

“That’s a little under $156,000,” Castiel tells him, getting Dean to blink and look back down before saying, “Huh,” before handing over a bit of the top – an outrageously high tip, but still a tip – to the dealer before tapping it on the side of the table. “Hopefully some of my luck from here sticks with ya.”

The woman smiles a bit accepting it and nodding as Bela shakes her head, handing over her own overly-generous tip and saying, “If you have to, share it. You’ve all been good for us, and I know some of it might have some issue for tips and taxes.”

“Of course, ma’am,” the dealer said, accepting the second tip as the two went over to cash in their chips, the group heading out to the charity concern as Dean and Castiel walk near each other, Dean’s hand brushing against Castiel’s a few times before Castiel simply grabbed his hand, smiling as Dean glances over at him and lets out a low laugh, squeezing Castiel’s hand back and saying, “Let’s see how good this band is.”


	5. Love and Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ALL OF THE SEXY TIMES.

Part 5: Love and Firsts

After the concert, which was well worth the trip, Cas won’t let go of his hand. It means he gives Bela a smile and shrug as she waves him off towards the hotel, instead staying with the three ladies who were still around her, Lady Toni looking a bit worried and almost nervous for some reason. Dean ignores it, instead following Cas as he lead him back, the ticket hot in Dean’s pocket and the happiness finally bubbling in his chest.

He has to focus on that. He’s happy to be with Cas, happy to be here. He won more money than his brother would make in a year, even as a corporate lawyer, and he’s with someone that he could love. Even if he has to tell Cas at some point, even if it ruins any good mood, at least for now, Dean has Cas with him, and they’re both happy. Dean is good at pretending things are alright, especially if there’s that one thing that he can focus on. He just needs one thing, and he’ll be able to get through everything.

So far, there’s been more than one good thing here. The various people at the hotel – Samandiriel, Hael, even the stoic and perma-glare Uriel – were all good people. They all had taken a bit but they’d all come over to like Dean’s company. As much as he’s sure that Gabriel and Amara are working to try to impress and prove some point, it’s a good rivalry of sorts too, even if he has yet to tell Gabriel that the supposed pie he’s trying to beat out was Donna’s pie she’d made on her cheat-day for Jody, Claire, Alex, and he.

The thought of those three gets Dean to feel a twinge of guilt and sadness. Cas and he are waiting for the elevator up, and Dean does his best to focus on that, not on the fact that the last time he’d seen the group, he and Bela had declared their decision to go out and live out their lives in some castle in the middle of nowhere. He hadn’t even called to check on how they were.

He hopes they’re all ok, Alex especially. Girl needs a happy life, not the crap one she’d gotten so far.

“Dean?”

Castiel’s voice brings him back to the present, and Dean offers a smile before saying, “Sorry, mind went elsewhere. It’s something that happens ‘round New Year’s.”

Cas seems to accept that, smiling a bit and squeezing his hand as the door ‘dings’ and opens, allowing them in as the two look at each other, Dean’s mind only filled with the thrill of taking this risk, of finding someone he could be with, and of that person being someone that Dean found himself enjoying being with each time they were together. It was only a few days, sure, and probably wouldn’t last past the New Year or so, but Dean was going to make damned sure that he made the most of out of it. It’s probably why he leans in a little, moving to kiss Cas, keeping hold of his hand as the slightly smaller man parts his lips eagerly, allowing for Dean to explore his mouth, tongues more intertwined than battling it out for dominance as Dean moaned. For someone who hadn’t had sex before, Cas was a quick study, and it somehow made things twenty times hotter than it already was with the man.

The elevator door bings as it opens getting the two to part as Dean chuckles a little, seeing Cas’ lips, red from the kiss, but not so red and flush as Cas himself. Dean reaches over to stop the door from closing, looking back at him as they head out and Cas takes the lead this time, pulling Dean back over to his room. Dean wants to protest and take them back to his room, but Cas has already opened the door, and all Dean can think is that he doesn’t actually mind this. He likes the idea of being with Cas, and it really doesn’t matter which room they go to, so long as Dean helps to make this night memorable for Cas.

_There could be more nights like this...not many, but a lot more._

Cas pulls him close again, the two kissing once more, passionate as they face the huge bed, not quite the four-poster one that Dean has in the Presidential Suite, but it makes it easier for them both to fall down onto the fluffy, comfortable sheets. Dean breaks off the kiss to start taking off his jacket and toe off his shoes, Castiel doing the same from his seated position while Dean pulled off the shirt and his undershirt as well, leaning in to help Castiel pull off his shirt and kiss him while doing it. Castiel gives a muffled moan as Dean uses the shirt to trap Castiel’s arms, reaching down to palm Cas through his slacks. Cas lets out a moan into Dean’s mouth, stopping their kiss to let out a hiss of “ _Dean…_ ” before moving to remove his shirt, Dean moving to take off his slacks and socks while Cas just as quickly, if not quicker, disrobed from his slacks and shoes, finally taking off his underwear and giving Dean a sneaky smile as Dean almost laughs at his lover’s eagerness.

“You wanna try something new?” Dean asks, smiling down at Cas as he climbs a bit over him, kissing Cas deeply as Cas moans, his hips flexing a bit up as he goes down flat on the bed, Dean over him. Cas blinks, looking surprised at the idea, blushing even more as he looks up at Dean.

“I...besides…”

Dean leans down, nipping at Castiel’s ear and whispering, “I like the idea of you in me. I like that. You wanna try it?”

If Dean hadn’t seen it for himself, he’d have missed how red the poor man got, eyes wide with surprise, arousal, and sudden, deep, lustful _want_. Dean chuckles again as he shifts, moving to find a new, apparently-bought-just-for-this lube on the nightstand, seeing Castiel offer a shy but almost sly smile.

“Damn, one night and you’re already a pro, huh?” Dean questions as he takes off his own underwear, Cas sitting up and looking over, almost hungrily, at Dean’s cock as Dean glances over at him, shifting and finally sitting on his lap, holding up the lube and getting Cas’ attention. “You wanna prep me, or you want me to do it myself?” He sees Cas’ blush return, as well as his inexperience and fear before Dean leans in and says, “We’ll go slow, Cas. I’m not gonna leave you hanging.”

Cas’ hips go up, rubbing their erections together, getting Dean to hiss a bit at the light friction and feel as Castiel smiles at him, his confidence back before saying, “I trust you. Tell me.”

Dean smiles at him, shifting back off as Castiel takes and opens up the lube, Dean moving to find a few condoms before saying, “We gotta be careful for it, but this will help out.”

“For…”

“You’re about to put fingers up my ass, Cas, what do you think?” The blush was huge as Dean chuckles and says, “Don’t worry, man, sometimes this part isn’t as sexy, but it’ll be fine. Worth the unsexy parts.”

Castiel smiles before moving up himself, the two settling on the bed, Dean on his stomach and allowing his erection to shift a bit, glancing over as he sees Castiel looking at something before glancing over at Dean, who looks at him with some confusion.

“You’re overall clean, aren’t you?” Cas asks, moving to pull apart Dean’s cheeks and look down at him, inspecting him critically and running his fingers around his hole and down along Dean’s balls. He lets out a hiss of pleasure before saying, “Yeah, pretty much...why?”

Dean knows that for all Cas might know about sex through porn videos or stories or whatever, he didn’t expect him to lean in and _lick his ass_. Dean lets out a gasp at the sensation, the flickering and wet sensation making him jerk forward a bit at the new pleasure while he mutters, “ _FUCK_ , Cas.”

“Bad?” Cas asks, moving away to blow a little on Dean’s cheeks and hole, getting him to pant in frustration.

“Hell no,” Dean mutters, glancing over his shoulder and giving him a smile. “You can keep going, man, until it’s a little loose.”

Cas nods, lowers his head back down to spit and lick again, the light stubble that’s almost permanently on the man, along with tongue and wetness getting Dean to groan as he shifts a bit, Cas’ hold enough to keep him relatively steady, but the other man obviously focused on the pleasure he could give Dean in preparations. He hears the lube cap pop, feeling a new sensation as Cas asks, “Is this ok?”

“I’ll tell you if it hurts,” Dean mutters, moving back against the finger as Cas slowly pushes it in, Dean briefly hissing at the burn but feeling his body adjust to it again, Cas’ steady push and curious nature perfect for a first time. Dean mutters, “Try another now, Cas, put another finger in, gotta stretch me out,” as he hears the lube open again, panting as another goes in and feels the easy stretch of it before Dean also began to feel the pressure and pleasure build in him, finally saying, “Cas, stop, gonna make me cum if you keep that up.”

Cas made an interested sound, his fingers still slightly moving and scissoring into him. “Isn’t that plan?”

Dean huffs out a laugh as he pulls forward, off Cas’ fingers, before turning to face the other man who looks at him curiously, his cock still hard. “Wanna do that with you inside me, Cas. Lay back.” Dean took the bottle and leaned down, kissing Cas briefly as he shifts them a bit, so they were on the center of the bed and Dean was straddling him, Cas’ cock pressing up against his ready entrance. Cas pants as Dean shifts, quickly rubbing lube along Cas’ shaft before opening up a condom, rolling it down Cas’ cock as he hears the other man start to pant, muttering something that gets Dean to look back over at him.

“Are you trying to quote something?”

Cas doesn’t answer, instead shushing him as Dean chuckles, guessing what Cas is quoting from just the repetition as he shifts forward, moving back as he holds Cas’ cock up by the base, whispering to Cas, “Help me with this. Hold my ass apart.”

Cas nods, his hands moving to grab Dean’s cheeks and spread them, Dean managing to line them up before slowly lowering himself back, hissing a bit as he feels the blunt head push into him, still hearing Cas mutter before Dean says, “For your love is better than wine,” he pushes back smoothly, hearing Cas gasp in surprise as Dean sits up, taking Dean fully in as Cas’ hands move from his ass to his hips, blue eyes wide as he looks up at Dean, who smirks at him as he adds, “Draw me after you, let us run.”

Cas is panting, Dean feeling his hips weak jerking at the feeling, Dean allowing his body to adjust before shifting forward, putting his hands to each side of Cas’ chest and say, “I can quote the Bible too, but I haven’t gotten that as a way to keep your focus.”

“To each...his own,” Cas mutters, sounding both annoyed and like he was surprised by the new sensations, hips stuttering up a bit as Dean pants, feeling the shift against the bundle of nerves deep in him. Dean swallows as he looks at Cas, who mutters, “We will exult and rejoice in you,” as Dean slowly starts to move, seeing Cas’ as he arches at the change of pressure and movement.

“I gotcha,” Dean tells him, “Not too fast just yet. Fuck, Cas, you’re so huge. Fuckin’ Tyrannisorus prick, man.” Castiel blushes, panting as Dean begins to move at an even pace, smirking as he shifts again, feeling Cas’ hips jerk up at the change and watching Cas as his body reacts, Cas getting up to his elbows so he can start kissing Dean, the passionate kiss only stopping as Cas pants into Dean’s mouth, the movement speeding up as the shift trapped Dean’s own cock between their bodies, the precum and sweat making the friction almost perfect as Dean moans himself, smiling as he says, “You’re doing good, Cas, tell me how you feel, ‘s it good?”

Cas nods, Dean amazed he hadn’t hit his head as Dean starts to pick up the pace, both of them panting as the room is filled with the sound of skin against skin, Dean moving back and starting to jack off as Castiel remains on his elbows, watching with wide eyes still full of pleasure and lust as Dean moves, feeling Cas’ hips try to keep up with him as Dean pants, his own pleasure building as he says, “Fuck, Cas, I’m close, want you to cum in me, you want it?”

“D-dean, yes, ah, y-you-ah…” Cas is speechless as his hips doing his talking, the rhythm getting faster and hitting Dean’s prostate as Dean begins to moan, the pleasure building right before he feels himself cum, groaning as Cas’ chest gets covered in white cum and he feels Cas push into him twice more as he also groans, panting while Dean feels something sticky in him, making him smile a bit. It had been a bit since he’d ridden anyone like that, and _fuck_ but Dean forgot how good that felt.

Cas smiles up at him, tired but obviously happy, getting Dean to want to kiss him, but instead he says, “We...should clean up. Night’s still young.”

Cas slowly nods, smiling as he shifts, Dean slowly getting up as Cas looks down at his chest and then back to Dean’s scarred one, Dean shifting self-consciously before saying, “It was a car accident. I got lucky, but…” he shrugs. “What can I say? Not like that sort of stuff doesn’t leave a lasting impact.”

Dean hopes that answer is enough to keep Cas’ curiosity at bay, and it seems to as he nods, shakily standing as he says, “I would suppose so. And while the shower isn’t quite as large as yours, it should work.”

Dean chuckles, tired but happy as he follows Cas into the bathroom, so glad for the quiet and for the relationship that was starting. He wants it to last as long as he can in this bliss, and hopes that the end of it isn’t a pity-party. Sam already tried to throw him some sort of pity-thing, Dean didn’t need that from anyone here.

=

Balthazar will probably be a bit upset at the second early-morning call over the late-night one, but Castiel figures he can probably get away with it if his friend knows he’s having sex or has someone in his bed. Dean had slept a bit late, which made sense, since Castiel had managed to practice a bit more of his blowjob techniques before both had become too exhausted to do much but sleep. Now, though, the moment his computer finishes loading it’s startup, Skype has barely gone up before his mother’s voice cuts into the feed.

“ _Emmanuel Castiel Renald!_ ” she yells at him, her French accent thick as she glares at him, Castiel seeing an apologetic Balthazar watching in the background before Naomi Renald begins to lay into him. He does his best to try to interrupt, finally reporting that Lady Toni had yet to give any response to their requests and he’d hear from her after breakfast today, before he hears Dean’s muffled, but audible, laugh.

He hears it...and so does his mother and Balthazar. Both sets of eyes go wide before Naomi says, “ _Good, well, that will be all, Castiel. You will return for the New Year or after?_ ”

“I will check the weather forecast, but right now...I’d like it to be after.”

Balthazar gives him a knowing grin before Naomi simply nods and the call is ended, Castiel glaring back over as Dean’s chuckles grow louder, despite the muffling from pillows and blankets, and he looks back up at Castiel.

“I’m sorry but...Emmanuel?”

“I am well aware that there is a female version that enjoys sex.”

“Softcore porn, Cas! With a ten-part series about her adventures _in space_. And a _canon_.” Dean’s laugh is wonderful, even if it’s directed at him, and Castiel can’t help but fail to be completely upset at him. “You’re named after a porn with a _freakin’ canon storyline_.”

“I was named after my grandfather, not after a woman who will sleep with anyone possessing a penis, and whose story is apparently so large and fans so great that it has someone chronicle this out,” Castiel says with some annoyance, though Dean’s smile and laugh make it hard to stay mad at him. Seeing Dean unguarded like this, happy and looking like he belongs, makes something in Castiel happy as well. That in such a short time, they’d become so close and Castiel would trust him like this.

It’s odd, but Castiel likes it, even if much of what he knows about Dean seems to be from small guesses and snippets of conversation. He shifts, moving to close his laptop, before glancing back at Dean. “Why are you and Bela pretending to be a couple?”

Dean’s smile falters, the other man sitting up on his elbows and looking over at Castiel seriously before saying, “I needed time away from my family, and she offered. I was fine with making it seem like we were a couple and…” he shrugs, “I have fun with her. I mean, we aren’t the best friends in the world, but we...well, were in the hospital together, so we kinda bonded on that.”

Castiel slowly nods, understanding the need to get away from family at times, but also feeling he’s missing a piece of the story. He considers if he should push on it, but he finds he doesn’t need to know that. He likes Dean, no matter what, and so long as the ‘real’ Dean, the one away from the mountain, is no different than this one, why should he care about the past or anything like that?

“I apologize. I simply...you and she were a convincing couple.”

Dean laughs a bit, sitting up and enfolding himself in some of the blankets. “We’re friends. A couple who are just two friends, and who share a bed but aren’t intimate.” He shrugs before checking the time and letting out a slight curse. “I promised Bela we’d hang out today.” Castiel watches him get up, admiring his toned body, as Dena gives him a sly look while picking up his discarded clothing. “Do you want to come with, or meet up for dinner? I heard that Amara was trying to make something great for Bela again tonight.”

Castiel has to smile at that, considering how quickly Amara and Gabriel had taken to trying to impress, or at least beat-out, the two after that first night. “Perhaps for dinner. I would hate to get in the way of you spending time with your friend. Besides,” he motions to the computer, “I must work today.”

“You picked the wrong type of vacation then,” Dean says as he finishes putting on his trousers and dress shirt, moving to sit near Castiel so he can put on his own shoes. “Though, considering that most of the hotels seem to do business with meetings instead of just relaxation, I’m not that surprised.”

“Are you so against it?”

Dean lets out a sigh and shakes his head. “No, I guess I’m just sad you can’t come hang out with Bell and I. But hey, I’m keeping you to that dinner date, ok?” he gives Castiel as smile and reaches over, kissing him before saying, “I’d better go make sure Bela didn’t go lookin’ for me.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, then,” Castiel says, watching Dean leave with a wave before turning back and opening his laptop again, making sure it was on and connected before going about his day, mentally timing everything. He just gets out of the bathroom, dressed for the day, when there’s a call from Balthazar.

He’s amazed, and almost proud, that they waited that long before calling back. He answers the call, saying, “I’m going to meet with Lady Bevel, I can answer your questions later, Balthazar.”

_“Good, because I want to know if it was that guy from the last time. I mean, it’s great that you found someone to finally pop all those cherries you were carrying around, but you need to be careful.”_

Castiel nods, knowing that most of what Balthazar is saying is because he cares, over because of his worry that Castiel is going to mess something up. He trust Castiel in many things, but sometimes dealing with people can bring out how rusty and blunt Castiel can be.

“I will be. Thank you Balthathar.” Castiel pauses before the call ends before saying, “Balthazar...do you know the man that Michael was supposed to meet a little while ago?”

Balthazar frowns, leaning back and looking over with thoughtful consideration. “ _I have heard that he was upset over some lost opportunity, though I’m not sure if that was from the news of Lucifer having a child or what his issue was. Do you want to look into it, or ask your mother about it?”_

“I am a bit more curious about a man that he was supposed to meet,” Castiel says, “though more because I want to know why he would give up that ‘opportunity’.” He sees Balthazar raise his eyebrows, apparently figuring out what it was that Castiel was asking him for, and a wicked grin spread across his face. Castiel gets no chance to stop him from either thinking or doing whatever he was planning, and instead has to let out a sigh before going to start his own day.

=

Dean is a bit surprised to see Bela still in the room when he arrives, casually sipping on a cup of coffee as he comes in. “You have fun, dear?”

“Hell yeah I had fun, guy is the definition of ‘king on the street, freak in the sheets’. What’s up?” he asks, putting his jacket aside to go out and see what he might wear today. He feels like he’s done with the looking pretty, and wants to actually look like himself again for today. Bela is in her old outfit as well, and some part of Dean suspected that their happy bubble of simply letting go and doing whatever they want is about to burst.

“I think Lady Bevell knows who I am, or suspects.”

Dean looked over at her as he pulls on his dark Henley and a flannel shirt over it, moving to pick up some of his nicer jeans. It was still cold out and while jeans would absorb the snow faster, he wasn’t really in the mood for anything else. His well-worn, but still neat and clean boots were next as he looks over at Bela. “So she suspects. What’s the big deal?”

“I think she also knows about the diagnosis. I noticed a few of our things moved around on the day of the charity ball. The paperwork’s been scanned too.”

Dean’s brief concern turns to upset as he glances at her, seeing Bela take another sip of her coffee. “Mr. Ketch has a reputation, and also has high-paying clients who frequent various hotels. If the price is right, he’s not above stealing information for others. But he’s mostly in the pocket of the Bevels and their group. The only thing we can do is bring it up, or use it against Lady Toni, which I don’t really want to do.”

“Why didn’t you bring it up earlier?” Dean asks before he lets out a sigh. “I’m a wondering why I’m so worried now.”

“Probably because you worry no matter what the situation,” she tells him with a smile that he happily returns. “We’re here until the end, aren’t we? Why should someone else knowing change that?”

“I’m more worried about Ketch knowing - Lady Toni might have known, but she definitely didn’t act like it at the charity ball…” he pauses to consider before saying, “I’m sure she knows, too.”

Bela nods and takes another sip of coffee. “I want to talk to her. She’s a good person, overall, but her whole attitude needs a change. I think I can get through to her.”

“You and not Rowena or Meg?”

“Oh, I can get them all in on it if I wanted.” Bela chuckles happily as she sets down her now-empty cup. “They don’t know, though, and I’d rather it remain like that. I like them when they aren’t trying to show me pity, but instead trying to see which one can get me into their firms or as a partner.”

Dean nods, feeling as upset as she obviously did. Bela and he had finally found themselves, their voices, and, more importantly, they’d found people they could happily work with. That it’d taken a trip to some remote hotel, off with groups that they’d never actually interact with, and a ton of money for them to simply throw away in their last few weeks on earth, before they’d found something like love and happiness. Of course that would happen right before…before…

_I have to tell Castiel. I have to tell him everything._

“I don’t want to tell them,” Bela finally confesses, looking away, “You can tell your guy, but I don’t like it when they start giving me pitiful looks.”

“I ain’t gonna say you have it too,” Dean tells her, offering up a warm smile as she glances at him briefly before looking away, “It’s up to you to tell them that. I just need to tell Cas about it. He’s pretty serious.” Dean smiles a bit at that, thinking it over. “I had two relationships like this, and…he’s the first one I wanna stay with, until the end.”

Bela is silent, looking at him with obvious worry before looking away again, focusing on her empty cup before she chuckles. “We’re quite a sad duo, aren’t we? Can’t even bother to die right.”

“No such thing,” Dean says with a smile, though he feels the weight of it all in his chest. After a wonderful night, after he’s sure that Cas will probably want to take him to visit the family or something else, that all will have to end with ‘I’m gonna die soon.’

“As a sad duo, or dying right?”

He simply kisses her forehead, offering up a hug as she starts to cry on his shoulder, holding tight onto his shirt as she finally allows herself to be upset about what was going on.


	6. Revelations and Ruminations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now reveals and sad times.

Part 6: Revelations and Ruminations

The meeting with Lady Toni, surprisingly, goes well, or at least better than Castiel would have thought it would go, considering that Lady Toni dislikes being told her plans are flawed. That she thought about each of the choices, and managed to create a better plan that worked for everyone and still gave her enough of an advantage that it wouldn’t be a loss was a good step for her, and one that Castiel is glad to see.

Crowley bows out easily for the risks, Rowena giving over only half of what she had originally proposed, and Meg seems fine with keeping up her original proposal, as does Castiel after seeing some advantages to staying in the same amount proposed. With the finalizing to happen the next day, it gives Castiel time to figure out what he wants to do in regards to Dean. Though Dean was here with Bela, he had mentioned that they weren’t in a relationship. That might mean that he could possibly convince them to leave soon, and even get Dean to come with him. Both he and Bela showed themselves to be intelligent, resourceful people, and both seemed capable in the service field. Though he knows little about them, save for what he’s seen during this trip, he has to wonder if he can figure out more information and get them to come with him.

“Castiel,” Lady Toni’s voice stops him as he’s about to leave, causing him to look over at her in confusion. He’s one of the last out, mostly so he can get a copy of the contract to show to Balthazar and the others before it’s officially signed. She looks worried, as if uncertain how to continue with what she’s about to say. “I…wish to ask your opinion of something.”

He frowns, nodding to her request before walking over to take a seat near where she was, watching her fidget a bit before sitting as well. He waits before she asks, “If…if one was to come across something that could be blackmail, but was…was damaging, to multiple people, should they keep it to themselves, or…or simply tell the others?”

“It would depend on the evidence. Who did you send Ketch to spy on?” Seeing her surprised face, he gave her a look. “It’s no secret that he works for the highest bidder, and you are, currently, that person. So, who did you send him to spy on that--.” He paused, letting out a sigh as he realizes what it is. “The Talbots.”

She nods slowly, seeing Castiel consider for a moment before he says, “Then I don’t want to know.”

“But--.”

“If it’s important, Dean will tell me before we have to leave, or when we see each other next. I know you believe this will help, or that you are helping so you can feel absolved of your part in asking for someone to break their confidentiality. However, knowing this only makes me more wary of partnering with you, if your attitude is to spy and search for such things simply because you don’t like what someone is doing.”

Lady Toni looked upset and worried, shifting in her seat as Castiel stood and said, “I will show your proposal to my family and see what they think, but I won’t work to convince them. Though I also won’t tell them what I learned…but I expect you to fire Mr. Ketch. You don’t need such a man in your employ.”

She’s silent as he leaves, considering what to do next. He’s not certain of what Dean and Bela are doing now, and wonders if he shouldn’t seek them out. He knows that the two are having their own time together, and doesn’t want to impose on it, but now, he’s left wondering what to do.

_Balthazar is looking up Michael…maybe he’ll know what’s really going on._

=

Dean lets out a long sigh as they head back to the hotel, twilight starting to come in as Gabriel and Amara on either arm of Bela as they walk back up to the main hotel. The two are having the day off and allowing other chefs to cook, while they get some of the food for the big feast for New Year’s. The trio were obviously happy to have gotten some of the food before a reported avalanche left the hotel cut off from many of the staff. The helicopter pilot had managed to get a few more people up and take down a few of those who had important flights out, but the rest of the people and the staff would have to stay the night while the road was cleared.

What he likes the most, though, is that Bela is obviously happy to share her love of cooking and flavors with these two, loving the way that they talk to her as an equal, and Dean has to admit, it’s great to see her like this. Compared to when the two of them decided to go on this trip, it’s a huge change, one that Dean is grateful to see.

 Bela gives him a shrug and apologetic smile as she and the other two headed off to one side, going over to where the kitchen was as Dean heard something about the ‘big event’ and needing help with it. He chuckles as he walks in, looking around before spotting Cas, sitting near the bar and looking…sad.

_Oh crap._

Dean slowly moves over, touching Cas’ shoulder to get him to look up at him, seeing the look he’s come to expect when someone knew The Truth. Dean lets out a long sigh, grateful that Castiel doesn’t look drunk, at least, and that the drink in his hand is currently water. “Who told you?”

“Toni Bevell hinted at knowing.” The answer got Dean to frown as Cas shook his head. “I didn’t find out from her. I spoke instead to a coworker of sorts, wanting to learn about Michael’s failure to woo you.” Dean chuckled at that, shaking his head.

“He didn’t show up when he was supposed to.”

“You didn’t mention,” Cas said as he took a sip of his water, “that his failure to show up resulted in a car accident, and the scars you have.”

Dean is silent, remembering what happened. He’d been angry, but was also careful. Because it was a ‘business meeting’, he’d had to take out that damned Prius to the scene, and he’d done his best to be safe. The other guy who’d hit him out of nowhere? Yeah, not so much.

“Didn’t seem important,” Dean mutters, looking at Cas, “not when it’s not the crash that’s gonna kill me.”

Cas stiffens, glancing at him, and Dean groans. “Fuck, look, Cas…the car crash was bad, ok? I was in a damned Prius and the guy was in a truck, there was no winning on that. The insurance had me covered for the car stuff, but not for…well…not for what else they found.” He runs a hand through his hair, glad that, at the moment, they’re alone. “Bela was in the accident too, and we both ended up in the same place. We both ended up in similar circumstances, but with her, it got a bit complicated.”

“You ran into her on accident,” Cas mutters, remembering what Dean had said, “and then on purpose.”

“It counts if you’re in the same ward,” Dean says, “and the same doctor, and the same condition. Rare shit, but we get one-in-a-million chances. That’s what the roulette table said.” The joke obviously doesn’t land, and Dean sits back to look at Cas. “I didn’t want to tell you because of this. I didn’t tell my family because the insurance barely covered the car accident and they gave me shit for that. I didn’t tell my brother because he was too busy telling me that he had a life and wasn’t going to listen to _my_ woes. The only person I could talk to was Bela, and we both decided to…well, to make the most of the last few weeks of our lives.” He motioned to the Grandhotel. “I hate flying, man. I have a serious phobia of it, but I endured it to get here. She hates that there’s people here she knows from her old life, but she went through it ‘cause…’cause we wanted to live a little, with no regrets for those last few days. I have enough money to invest in half the shit you talk about, and I haven’t because I…” Dean shakes his head. “Shit, I was scared, or I was told not to, or I was just told I was an idiot, and maybe I am, but I’m tired of not taking that risk.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Cas says, getting Dean’s attention, “you are, as you said before, your own boss. And truthfully, your family is idiotic for not giving you that power, as much as Michael is a bastard for not making that second meeting for whatever reason.” Dean’s look must have gotten Cas to elaborate, as he says, “Angelus was considering investing in the company, but after others dealt with your family over you, the deal is off.”

Dean snorts. “You sure?”

“I speak to the one who gets all the secrets for the company, so yes,” Cas says, “and my mother said as much when she overheard who it was I had in bed. Apparently, if I can, I am to invite you to come work for us. If not to work, then I am to invite you to…simply stay with me.” Dean’s silence prompts Cas to add in, “My mother feels I have been without someone I like, at least enough to…what we did…for far too long.”

Dean laughs at that, though his eyes are watery with unshed tears. “She…she wants me to come by because I’m the first guy you slept with?”

“I’m very old-fashioned,” Cas says, though Dean is still chuckling a little, “I was very specific on who I would sleep with for my first time, and while we barely know each other, that thought still stands.” Dean stops chuckling, looking up at Cas, a single tear running down his face as Cas says, “We have whatever time we do. Anything can happen to end this all, let alone to extend it. I am fine with remaining with you for these last few days or weeks, Dean Winchester. I have no regrets on that, I have no regrets on finding out the way I did. My only regret is that I feel nothing is enough time to show you how wonderful you really, truly are.”

=

Hannah sighs as she looks up at the ceiling, the beauty brought to her attention by the Talbots when they first arrived, before someone taps her shoulder quickly and she looks over at Samandiriel. The other worker points at the bar, and Hannah looks over before nearly gasping out loud. Its luck that Hester and Inias both put hands over her mouth to stop the sound.

Dean Talbot, unmarried to Bela Talbot but not her brother (they knew that because Mr. Ketch, for being a spy, loves to try to drag down the customers with these tidbits), is kissing Castiel Renald deeply, the two locked in their own world and oblivious to the rest of the guests around them, few as there are. Crowley is exchanging money with a smug Rowena McLeod, and Hannah involuntarily lets out a squeak of joy. Castiel was their best customer, the best of the Renalds, but it was always such a sad thing to know he had such standards that he’d never find happiness. To see them now…

“What are you all doing?” the dark voice of Mr. Ketch gets everyone to look over as Uriel comes up and taps him on the shoulder.

“They are doing their jobs. I would like to speak to you. _NOW_.”

Hannah let out another squeak as the two left, and everyone smiled. That tone of voice from Uriel of all people? Ketch was _gone_.

The group was too preoccupied to see the fax that came in, and went back to glancing over at the two guests, who had stopped kissing and were now talking quietly to each other, looking like the lovers in the painting above them.

=

Sam Winchester grumbled as they got past the snow and up to the hotel, glaring at the huge thing in annoyance. His brother was seriously _here_ of all places? Dean could see him being anywhere else, especially if it was within driving distance, but some middle-of-nowhere, rich-only resort? He can’t believe that at all.

But this is where Jodi and the others said he had gone, after Sam had been called in to get the information from his doctor and the others who had done work with the car-crash that, according to Christian, had resulted in a major loss for their third quarter after Dean had royally fucked-up a meeting with Angelus. They’re in luck that they get there as the big banquet is going on, Mom looking tired and hungry as Sam moves to go and talk to the dark-haired receptionist, seeing a few people gathering around a massive, buffet-like setup that apparently is going on for the New Year’s Eve celebration.

That Dean pulled this shit and now Sam can’t be at his first New Year’s with Jess…terminal illness or not, Sam is going to _kill him_ for this.

He briefly glares at the receptionist as she asks him if he’s checking in, and he says, “No, I’m here to see my brother, Dean Winchester.”

She blinks, looking over at him and typing something before saying, “I’m sorry, sir, there’s no Winchester in our records.”

Sam glares at her, but the lady holds her ground, Sam mentally cursing. Of course Dean would go under some assumed name and try to hide. It was exactly what he’d do to cover his tracks. “Look, I’m his brother, Sam Winchester, and I need to talk to him right now, and I _know_ he came here.”

“Sir, I’m sorry, but there are no Winchesters in our records,” the infuriating woman told him calmly, even as Sam tried hard to laugh off the impossibility of it, “If he is not in our records, then he is not here.”

“ _Bullshit_ ,” Sam growls, getting the woman to look at him with some annoyance as he shakes his head, upset and stalking back to his mom, who is speaking to someone over near the bar. The man leaves as Sam gets closer, causing him to frown and look back at her. “Who was that?”

“A worker here,” she says, sounding both confused but also glad, “He says that Dean _is_ here…we just…have to wait. He’ll be down for the New Year’s feast.” Sam glances around then back to Mom, confused.

“Was he sure?”

“He was,” Mary Winchester said with a nod, “and I believe him.”

Sam considers for a long moment before letting out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. They had already trekked up the mountain and there was little to no way to get back down or to a cheaper place without spending money on the helicopter. As it was, with the lateness of the night, it’s more likely that they’ll end up here for the night, in the most expensive room because there’s no way down the mountain until tomorrow.

“Well, we gotta do something, so…I guess we wait.”

They didn’t have to wait long before they saw Dean, on the arm of that lady from the crash, Talbot, and with a few others talking with him. He was smiling, looking far from the sick man he actually was, and Sam felt livid upon seeing him, but Mom was on her feet first, stalking over as the group talked and Sam saw Dean look over in their direction, apparently on accident, and froze upon seeing them. Talbot also looked over, though her face showed determination over fear, and she moved to stand between him and Mom as Sam stood, ready to back her up and walking over to find out what the hell was going on.

“Dean Winchester,” Mom said, her tone dripping with the disappointment she felt upon finding him here and acting like such an idiot. The others looked at her and then over at him, Talbot between the two still and a few looking at Mom with confusion and curiosity.

“Hi Mom,” Dean mutters, not even sounding apologetic. He simply sounds like he’s barely surprised to see them here, and a dark-haired man near him glances between the two before Sam arrives. “Sammy.”

“It’s _Sam_ ,” Sam grounds out, just as upset as Mom is. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I was invited to a shindig,” Dean tells them, Talbot raising her chin to apparently indicate _who_ had done the inviting. Sam and Mary glare at her, the one who had started this whole thing, but she doesn’t look ready to back down. Neither, now, does the dark-haired, dark-eyed woman in purple who stands beside her, looking at them like they’re scum for trying to talk to Dean. “I was fired from work, so--.”

“You weren’t _fired_ , Christian put you on--.”

“I was terminated, completely, and with the paperwork to prove it,” Dean interrupted Mom, getting both of them to look at him with surprise and upset. “I was ‘too expensive’ to keep on when I not only lost the Angelus account, but also had all those untimely medical bills and gave you all a shitty fourth quarter. Only,” he looked at Mom, as if it was her fault, “I didn’t give you guys a shitty fourth quarter. Christian did. And I didn’t lose the Angelus account, someone else tried to talk to Michael behind my back and he met with _them_ while I was running around town and some asshole decided to try to hit Bela but missed.” Sam frowned, glaring at his brother at the news. Ok, sure, that’s what Mills and Hanscum had said when Sam had gone to them, wondering what was going on with the insurance, but that didn’t explain why the insurance company was demanding they pay for it then if Dean wasn’t at fault. After all, Mills and Hanscum and their family all had conflicts of interest when it came to Dean, since they were all friends, but there wasn’t any sort of reason for the insurance company to do that if what Mills and Hanscum said was right.

“Dean, you couldn’t have gotten Angelus if you tried, and you know it,” Sam argued, “they--.”

“He actually can,” the dark-haired man with blue eyes says, looking at Sam and Mary seriously, “and I had my own men check.”

“Clarence, you’re almost as bad as our Lady here,” the dark-haired woman said, getting the blonder one to look away as the red-head chuckled, revealing a Scottish lilt to her tone.

“Nonsense, dear, checking on your sweetheart isn’t all that bad, if they give you permission.”

_WHAT?_

Sam and Mary looked over at Dean, who offered a smile and a shrug as Talbot smirked, as if proud of herself. And besides, what did this man--.

“You two were so busy, we haven’t been introduced, Moose,” the man with an English accent interrupted, getting Sam and Mary to glare at him. “I’m Crowley, insurance broker. This here is Rowena McLeod, owner of various shipping industries and a few exotic shipping groups,” the redhead smiled as Sam felt himself pale, remembering both Crowley and Rowena’s names on various lawsuits – lawsuits they always won – “and the dear lass in dark is Meg Masters, of Master, Azazel, and Company.”

Masters _smirked_ at Sam as he recognized the name of a company, one that had just added her in after Azazel was outted, and getting him to freeze before Crowley continues. “Our Lady is, of course, Lady Antonia Bevell, and lastly, but not least, is Emmanuel Castiel Renald, of Angelus…and if I’m right, your brother’s current boyfriend.”

Sam looked at Dean, who didn’t even look apologetic, he simply looked…resigned, and glanced at Renald, who looked almost murderously at Sam and Mary. “Well, you’re not wrong.”

“Charming. I lost a good amount on you two, you know that?”

“It was a fair wager, and you didn’t have to take it.”

“ _Important information_ is always worth a wager, even lost,” Crowley argued as Lady Bevell looked at the two, finally asking, “How did you two know that Dean was here? He didn’t check in under his name. Though, I’m sure a tall, dark-haired man gave you all the information you needed.”

Mary paled, and Sam glanced at Lady Bevell before she nodded. “I thought so. That was Mr. Ketch, who is a former employee. He knows about it because he was asked to go through the personal information for Ms. Talbot and Mr. Winchester. I assume he was simply upset at needing a new line of work so soon before the New Year.”

This was getting quickly out of Sam’s hands, and he hated it. Dean wasn’t supposed to be here, he was supposed to be _home_ , or he was supposed to tell Sam or someone that he was going to go and lose all their money on some _whim_. He wasn’t supposed to be dating some guy like this! It was good that the guy was a Renald, sure, but not like this!

Dean lets out a breath, running a hand through his hair before glancing back at Sam and Mary before saying, “Look, I get you want to make sure I’m ok. And…I am. But I’m not coming back. I came here for a reason, and I’m not going to leave. I’ve got my own life to live.” He looks over at Mary. “You and Dad have shut down every small thing I wanted to do because I had to watch over Sam, or help at the store. I have this for myself, so for once, I’m asking you to let me do my own thing. I don’t know what Christian said, but I have the paperwork that says I’m no longer an employee, signed and filed. Grandpa, Christian, no one there wanted me to work there, and you weren’t going to let me do whatever else I could, so why was Sam allowed, huh? Why can I, for once, as my _dying wish_ , do what I want to do with my life?”

Sam sees a few of the others look at him, save for Renald, Crowley, and Lady Bevell, as Dean looks at Mary, their mother looking at him seriously before finally shaking her head.

“You don’t get to be selfish in this, Dean. You don’t get to act like you’re--.”

“You don’t get to tell me what is selfish when all you’ve been _is_ selfish,” Dean interrupts, the care from before now drowned out but anger. “This is my _dying wish_ , and since it’s that, _mine_ , I’m going to spend it how I want, not how you two want.”

“Dean, there--.”

“It’s incurable,” Bela tells them quietly, but getting everyone’s attention, “and far too advanced to even do anything about it. We’ll be dead soon.”

“You don’t--.”

“The doc was pretty firm about it,” Dean adds, and finally shakes his head. “I’m going to go and enjoy my last New Year’s. I’m sure if you two want, you can figure something out, but…” he glances at Renald, then back. “I’m glad you’re here. Even if it’s to try to get me back for some stupid reason, I’m still glad to see you two.”

The group turned as Dean and Bela did, forming a sort of protective barrier around the two as they walk over, Dean’s other arm being taken by Renald as Sam watches them go, then turns to Mom, who looks almost disbelieving. Sam, however…

“I gotta go make a phone call.”

Either Dean is lying, or Christian is, and at this point, it’s more beneficial for Christian to lie than for Dean.

“I’m coming with you. I have…words…for Dad.” Mary follows him as they head to an empty part of the lobby and make that call.


	7. Realities and New Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of talks, and a New Year.

Part 7: Realities and New Possibilities

Castiel has a sneaking suspicion that Ketch told everyone about Dean and Bela’s condition before he left, resulting in both of them being cried over by Gabriel and Amara after the New Year’s feast was over, Dean looking a bit disgruntled until Castiel managed to get him out of the situation, Meg following suit with Bela as Rowena and Lady Toni covered. Crowley had left for somewhere else, Castiel assumed to cause trouble for the other two Winchesters in the hotel, who so far were nowhere to be seen.

Dean let out a breath as they got outside, the chill air of the night making them both shiver, but seeming to only elate Dean further as he looked around, glancing back at the huge hotel before letting out a long, sad sigh. He doesn’t seem to notice Castiel as he looks up at the clear night sky, muttering softly, “Next time…next time I’m gonna do better. Do things different next time. Laugh more, love more, see…everything.” He laughs, the sound almost bitter, before he adds, “I won’t be so afraid next time.”

“Neither will I,” Castiel’s quiet addition gets Dean to look over, a sad smile on his face as he looks back at Castiel, who walks up to him and holds his hands, looking up a bit at the other man. “We’ll find each other, and we’ll have those adventures together.”

Dean smiles at that, shaking his head before leaning down to rest his forehead against Castiel’s, the closeness warming them both as he says, “Happy New Year, Cas.”

“Happy New Year, Dean,” Castiel replies, disliking the melancholy feeling that is coming up when he says that. It’s only going to be for a short period of time that Dean is here, and even in that time that Castiel has known him, he knows it will take out a bright and wonderful person from the world. “I know you hate flying, and I know you don’t have long…so come with me back to my family’s home. Come stay with me for however long you have.”

Dean is silent, thinking it over, and finally lets out a sigh. “Cas, I don’t…I don’t just want to give up one hospital room for another. I don’t want that. I know it’s gonna get bad by the end, I looked up the thing the moment they said it, and I just…” he shakes his head.

“I’m not asking for you to come there simply to be cared for. We don’t have to tell them.”

“I thought they knew.”

“They only know about the accident and you being fired,” Castiel assures him, recalling the talk with Balthazar and his anger and upset that had been there before the sudden, hopeless feeling at Dean’s talk about what _had_ happened. Dean had explained everything before dinner and that confrontation with his mother and brother, and now…now all Castiel wanted was to show Dean how wonderful he was, so that he _knew_ , on some level, that he was loved and was important. “We don’t have to tell them anything else.”

Dean snorts, shaking his head. “Not the sort of thing to spring on someone suddenly. ‘Oh, yeah, he was terminally ill too, I forgot.’”

“Dean…” Dean looks over at Cas after the other man all but growled out at him. “I understand your trepidation at this. I understand that you don’t want pity, or to be at another place you believe will only hold you back. I don’t want that either…and I have time off. We don’t have to stay at the home. We can simply…be together, for however long you have left.”

“Which isn’t long,” the new voice interrupts them, getting them to look over in annoyance at Dean’s brother, looking at them with crossed arms and a glare that’s more similar to that of a petulant child over an adult. Dean shakes his head and lets out a sigh, crossing his arms as he faces Sam Winchester. “I talked to the doctor, he said it’s advanced and that you’re pretty much on borrowed time. I don’t get why you’re even _thinking_ of taking this guy up on his offer. You only just met him, what, three days ago?”

“Four days ago, so we actually know each other pretty good now,” Dean said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Where’s Mom?”

“She’s trying to figure out what the hell Grandpa was thinking, changing our insurance without informing anyone. That’s what this is about, isn’t it? That the insurance wouldn’t pay for the procedure and so you took out Grandma’s trust fund.”

Dean sighed. “You mean the fund she set up for me, versus the one that’s still in-tact, set up for you that you haven’t touched except when you were trying to show off to your Stanford friends?” Sam’s annoyance grew as Dean added, “No, Sam, it’s not about the fact that Grandpa and Christian changed the insurance and didn’t tell us until I got t-boned by a fuckin’ truck. It’s not about me taking out gran’s fund that she left for me. It’s apparently not even about me, according to you. It’s about some bullshit that the family always pulls _around_ me. Except this time, it’s not. Christian and Grandpa fucked up and I got hurt by it. Grandpa and Christian fucked up a deal, and now the family has to deal with it, and I’m a good scapegoat. I’m gonna _die soon_ , but all you fuckin’ care about is _why I haven’t_ acted the way you _want_ me to act for _once in my life_.” Sam balked, looking almost upset, before his jaw set and Castiel let out a breath, upset with how this was going.

“Dean…stop…please.” Dean pauses at the stop, looking back at Castiel as he finally holds out his hand. “I would like you to come and meet my family. If you want to talk to them about anything and everything, you can. But…I would also like for you to stop talking to this part of yours. It can’t be good for any of our health.”

Dean looked at him, glancing down at Castiel’s hand, as Sam started to say Dean’s name. Instead, Dean reaches over to take it, the two walking back inside as Dean let out a sigh, trying to relax. Castiel takes him up to his room, knowing that while Dean has the presidential suite, he’s not sure if Dean wants to see Bela now or later. Dean pauses as they get near there, finally saying, “I’m gonna talk to her. When do you leave?”

“If the snow is gone from the pass, tomorrow afternoon. Meg leaves around the same time, as does Rowena.”

Dean nods, going to knock on his own door and entering after a moment. Castiel waits only a short period of time before Dean comes out, carrying a small bag of things and offering Castiel a smile.

“So…how do you wanna celebrate the New Year?”

=

Bela groans as she sits up from the bed, hitting the alarm clock that was blaring out the time. It was too early in the New Year, and while she did have to check out before 11am, she also wanted to sleep away everything that had happened. Mostly, the grumbling, annoyed sound of two other Winchesters who were currently housed in her room.

Why had she decided to allow them here again? Oh, right, the tall one had given her a sad look and said how sorry he was, and she had only believed enough of it to not let them spend money on the room. She supposed that after the whole ‘finding out your brother/son is dying, and it’s completely your grandfather/father’s and cousin’s fault’ was a completely legit reason for some pity.

Bela seriously considered draining some of the bottles of liquor from the fridge, just so she could put it on them, when she frowned upon spotting something that had been slipped under the door, along with the bill. It was odd, and from what she could tell, had the Lawrence Hospital logo on it. Walking over to it slowly, she picked up the forms and read. The bill was not that hard to pay, especially with their earnings from the charity ball, but what got her to freeze is seeing the letter. It took her a long moment before everything clicked with her and when it did, she ran over to her bags, digging through to get out her phone, a change of clothing, and a pair of shoes. The other two Winchesters blink a bit, both ruffled from the near-interrupted sleep as they watch her rush out, calling Dean on her phone as she pulls on the shoes, bringing the paper with her as Dean sleepily answered his phone.

“Where are you?”

“ _Bel, what the--._ ”

“ _WHERE_ , Dean?”

Dean gave her a nearby room number, Bela rushing over and knocking on the door hard as she hung up and she hears someone moving around, finally seeing the sleepy, half-dressed and wearing only his underwear. She doesn’t even bother looking further in, instead holding up the paper at Dean, who stumbles back a little and asks, “What the hell is this, Bela?” He seems to wake up a bit more, looking over at it and finally reading through what is there before blinking, looking up at Bela and then back down to the paper. “Ah…is this…is this real?”

“It looks like it,” she says, waiting as he looks at it, then back up to her, the two slowly glancing back at the paper before both of them started to smile, Dean’s huge one infectious as the news finally crossed their uncaffinated minds, resulting in Dean cheering and grabbing her up, turning her around as the door nearly closes behind him, Castiel coming over to look at them as Dean and Bela cheer, nearly crying for the relief, happiness, and sheer whiplash of the news.

“What? What’s going on?” Castiel asks, looking over at them as Dean hands over the paper, going back to hug and cheer with Bela at how everything had turned out.

Castiel looked over at them, then back down at the paper before, after a long moment, he looks back up, going in just to grab the key for the door before going back to grab the both, hugging Bela as he kisses Dean deeply.

=

“The hell does this even mean, the ‘machine was broken’? _Two doctors_ signed off on it!” Sam Winchester’s anger apparently was now redirected towards the ones who had gotten everyone so upset, and Castiel wondered if this was simply indicative of the type of lawyer that Sam was. Either way, Castiel was grateful to see it moved to the hospital and everything else over Dean, and just as glad that so far, he and his mother had yet to speak to Dean about where he was going.

Dean had barely spoken about it, and now, Castiel was beginning to worry over what his choice would be. He had his whole life now, a whole life that could easily change things. Bela had gone to speak to Amara and Gabriel, as well as Meg and Rowena. Lady Toni had already left to go and prepare for her work, and Crowley was…somewhere. That left Dean and his choice between the family and Castiel, now that he had that time. It’s a worry that Castiel doesn’t want to have, but still, it works at him.

As Sam and Mary head into the airport, Sam talking about how much he’s going to sue the hospital for and everything else, Dean pulls Castiel to a stop, looking back over at him. “Cas.”

“Dean,” Castiel says, curious as to what he has to say.

“You know I changed my ticket, right?” Dean says, getting Cas to frown, confused. “I mean, that Balthazar guy was really helpful, but is all of your family such dicks? I was just asking where you were going so we could end up in the same place.”

Castiel blinked, now confused by what he’s saying, and Dean shows him the new ticket, this one back to the Angelus home base in Illinois. “I mean, seriously, I know my family is kinda weird, or at least they have their issues, but--.”

Dean’s interrupted by a kiss, and he chuckles as they break off, smiling back at him. “I think I’d like to keep up those adventures we said. I know we might not have a lot of time, or we might have all the time, but…well, I made a promise to live. New Year, new me, no regrets.”

“Not really new,” Castiel said, smiling at him and kissing him briefly again, “Simply one that sees the new possibilities ahead of him as realities as well, and who regrets less when he takes risk. So really, it’s simply you finally becoming who you really where.”

Dean smiles back at him, the two entering into the airport, hands together, their tickets for the same destination and the future open to all of the possibilities ahead of them.


End file.
